Design and performance of some microflow-cell potentiometric transducers

Abstract

The paper presents and compares the design of three potentiometric transducers: ion-selective field effect transistor (ISFET), solid-state Ag/AgCl electrode and miniaturized classical Ag/AgCl electrode. The reported transducers were fabricated using different, less or more complicated and expensive, technologies. The transducers were constructed to be compatible with the sensor housing of the flow-cell, designed previously. Moreover, the back-side contact structures of the two planar devices, where electrical connectors and the sensing layer are on the opposite sides, facilitated their application in the flow analysis. Exemplary potassium-selective microsensors based on developed transducers were prepared, applying plasticized PVC and polysiloxane membranes containing valinomycine. The determined microsensor performances allowed comparison of their usefulness for multiparameter flow analysis.