Methods for producing optical sensors with reflective materials

Abstract

Provided is an optical sensor including a support and a detection layer, wherein the detection layer includes: (a) a luminescent material wherein the luminescence intensity of the luminescent material varies as the amount of an analyte varies; (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of the luminescent material; and (c) a polymeric binder to support and hold together the luminescent material and the reflective material. Such an optical sensor can be advantageously used in the detection of gaseous, ionic, and nonionic analytes in highly scattering samples. Also provided are methods for the manufacture of such optical sensors.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical sensor comprising a support and a detection layer, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (a) a luminescent material wherein the luminescence intensity of said luminescent material varies as the amount of an analyte varies;    (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material; and    (c) a polymeric binder.    
     
     
         2 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 0.2 to 15 microns.  
     
     
         3 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 0.5 to 10 microns.  
     
     
         4 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 1 to 8 microns.  
     
     
         5 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 5 to 65% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         6 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 10 to 50% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         7 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 30 to 50% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         8 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material is a pigment.  
     
     
         9 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material is selected from the group consisting of: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony trioxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material comprises titanium dioxide.  
     
     
         11 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material comprises a blush polymer pigment.  
     
     
         12 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said reflective material comprises a combination of a blush polymer pigment and an inorganic pigment.  
     
     
         13 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said detection layer is an outermost layer of said optical sensor adapted for contact with a mixture containing said analyte.  
     
     
         14 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said optical sensor consists of said support and said detection layer.  
     
     
         15 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said luminescent material is a fluorescent material.  
     
     
         16 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said luminescent material is selected from the group consisting of: acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines and pyrenes.  
     
     
         17 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of: poly(amides), poly(acrylamides), poly(styrenes), poly(acrylates), poly(alkylacrylates), poly(nitriles), poly(vinyl chlorides), poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(dienes), poly(esters), poly(carbonates), poly(siloxanes), poly(urethanes), poly(olefins), poly(imides), and hetero polymeric combinations thereof; cellulosics and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises ethyl cellulose.  
     
     
         19 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises a copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and N-tert-butylacrylamide.  
     
     
         20 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said luminescent material is a phosphorescent material.  
     
     
         21 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said luminescent material is platinum octaethyl porphyrin.  
     
     
         22 . The optical sensor of    claim 20   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of: poly(acrylates), poly(alkylacrylates), poly(styrenes), poly(nitriles), poly(vinyl chlorides), poly(dienes), poly(esters), poly(carbonates), poly(siloxanes), poly(urethanes), and poly(olefins); and hetero polymer combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The optical sensor of    claim 20   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises a copolymer of ethylhexylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate.  
     
     
         24 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said support is substantially transparent to the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material.  
     
     
         25 . The optical sensor of    claim 24   , wherein said support is a flexible plastic film.  
     
     
         26 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said analyte is a gas.  
     
     
         27 . The optical sensor of    claim 26   , wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of: ammonia, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.  
     
     
         28 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said analyte is an ionic material.  
     
     
         29 . The optical sensor of    claim 1   , wherein said analyte is a nonionic material.  
     
     
         30 . A method for producing an optical sensor, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a support; and    (b) coating a liquid mixture onto said support and subsequently drying said liquid mixture to form a solid detection layer on one side of said support, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (i) a luminescent material wherein the luminescence intensity of said luminescent material varies as the amount of an analyte varies;  
 (ii) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material; and  
 (iii) a polymeric binder.  
   
     
     
         31 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 0.2 to 15 microns.  
     
     
         32 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 0.5 to 10 microns.  
     
     
         33 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said detection layer has a thickness of from 1 to 8 microns.  
     
     
         34 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 5 to 65% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         35 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 10 to 50% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         36 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material is present in the amount of 30 to 50% of the weight of said detection layer.  
     
     
         37 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said optical sensor comprises two or more detection layers coated in a pattern on said support.  
     
     
         38 . The method of    claim 37   , wherein said detection layers are capable of sensing the concentration of two or more different analytes.  
     
     
         39 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material is a pigment.  
     
     
         40 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material is selected from the group consisting of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, antimony trioxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         41 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material comprises titanium dioxide.  
     
     
         42 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material comprises a blush polymer pigment.  
     
     
         43 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said reflective material comprises a combination of a blush polymer pigment and an inorganic pigment.  
     
     
         44 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said detection layer is an outer layer of said optical sensor adapted for contact with a mixture containing said analyte.  
     
     
         45 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said optical sensor consists of said support and said detection layer.  
     
     
         46 . The method of    claim 37   , wherein said two or more detection layers are outermost layers of said optical sensor adapted for contact with said analyte.  
     
     
         47 . The method of    claim 46   , wherein said two or more detection layers are adapted for contact with two or more different analytes.  
     
     
         48 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said luminescent material is a fluorescent material.  
     
     
         49 . The method of    claim 48   , wherein said luminescent material is selected from the group consisting of acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines and pyrenes.  
     
     
         50 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said luminescent material is a phosphorescent material.  
     
     
         51 . The method of    claim 50   , wherein said luminescent material is platinum octaethyl porphyrin.  
     
     
         52 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of: poly(amides), poly(acrylamides), poly(acrylate), poly(alkylacrylates), poly(styrenes), poly(nitriles), poly(vinyl chlorides), poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(dienes), poly(esters), poly(carbonates), poly(siloxanes), poly(urethanes), poly(olefins), poly(imides), and hetero polymeric combinations thereof; cellulosics and derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         53 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises a copolymer of ethylhexylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate.  
     
     
         54 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises a copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and N-tert-butylacrylamide.  
     
     
         55 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said polymeric binder comprises ethyl cellulose.  
     
     
         56 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said detection layer is heated above the glass transition temperature of said polymeric binder and then cooled back to ambient conditions.  
     
     
         57 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said support is substantially transparent to the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material.  
     
     
         58 . The method of    claim 57   , wherein said support is a flexible plastic film.  
     
     
         59 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said analyte is a gas.  
     
     
         60 . The method of    claim 59   , wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of: ammonia, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.  
     
     
         61 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said analyte is an ionic material.  
     
     
         62 . The method of    claim 30   , wherein said analyte is a nonionic material.  
     
     
         63 . An optical sensor comprising a support and a detection layer, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (a) a luminescent material wherein the luminescence intensity of said luminescent material varies as the amount of an analyte varies;    (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material, wherein said reflective material comprises one or more reflective materials selected from the group consisting of: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barum sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments; and    (c) a polymeric binder.    
     
     
         64 . An optical sensor for use in analyzing the amount of oxygen gas, comprising a support and a detection layer, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (a) platinum octaethyl porphyrin;    (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of the platinum octaethyl porphyrin, wherein said reflective material comprises one or more reflective materials selected from the group consisting of: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments; and    (c) a copolymer of ethylhexylmethacrylate and methylmethacrylate.    
     
     
         65 . An optical sensor for use in analyzing the amount of carbon dioxide gas, comprising a detection layer and a support, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (a) a luminescent material selected from the group consisting of: acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines, and pyrenes;    (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material, wherein said reflective material comprises one or more reflective materials selected from the group consisting of: titanium oxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments; and    (c) ethyl cellulose.    
     
     
         66 . An optical sensor for use in analyzing the pH of a sample, comprising a detection layer and a support, wherein said detection layer comprises: 
 (a) a luminescent material selected from the group consisting of: acridines, fluoresceins, rhodamines, and pyrenes;    (b) a reflective material having a highly efficient reflectance of the wavelengths of excitation and of emission of said luminescent material, wherein said reflective material is selected from the group consisting of: titanium oxide, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, barium sulfate, magnesium oxide, and blush polymer pigments; and    (c) a copolymer of N,N-dimethylacrylamide and N-tert-butylacrylamide.