Patent attributes
A multi-gas microsensor assembly for simultaneously detecting carbon dioxide and oxygen in real time. According to one embodiment, the assembly comprises a non-conductive, solid substrate. A plurality of sensing electrodes, a single reference electrode, and a single counter electrode are positioned on one side of the non-conductive, solid substrate. In addition, all of the electrodes are in intimate contact with the same side of a solid-polymer electrolyte anion-exchange membrane, the solid polymer electrolyte membrane having at least one gas diffusion opening aligned with each sensing electrode. The sensor is operated in a three-electrode potentiostatic mode, in which a constant potential is maintained between the sensing and reference electrodes, and the current is measured between the sensing and counter electrodes. Control of the electrodes is achieved with a small bi-potentiostat. The design of the bi-potentiostat allows at least two different sensing electrodes to share the same counter and reference electrodes.
