SOLID ION-SELECTIVE ELECTRODES

Abstract: Ion-selective pH-alkali metal and other electrodes based in the use of glass membranes where there is present a membrane contact between the glass and metal element. The membrane contact is added to a contact agent which includes silver fluoride (AgF). It is advantageous if the contacting of silver fluoride (AgF) to the glass membrane occurs during heating of the contact zone.

Description: Solid ion-selective electrodes The invention relates to pH and sodium electrodes of glass of the type which is further described in the introduction to patent claim 1. Many attempts have been made to make pH-glass electrodes consisting of material in a solid state. In conventional glass electrodes the electric contact be¬ tween the outer circuit and the ion-sensitive glass membrane is made by means of an inner contact solution. A construction in a totally solid state has clear advan- tages in the form of reliability and versatile use (temperature, pressure) and is better suited for modern production techniques. In known solid state constructions there have been used various direct metal-glass-contacts, but with- out completely satisfactory results. Recently there has been developed a contact with good stability where silver halides as for example AgCl or AgBr are employed. A different solution in the development of micro-electronic sensors, such as ISFET's (Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect-Transistors) . In these constructions there is employed a thin film of glass membrane as an integral part of the micro-electronic circuit, it functioning both as a potential-forming element (by laying uncovered above fluids which contain relevant cations) and as a field insulator. Since the electrical information is transferred by field- effect so-called "block-shaped" membrane contacts are acceptable in this instance. With the exception of ISFET's and similar arrange¬ ments based on field effects, it appears that the reversi- bility in the membrane contact is a first requirement for obtaining sufficient sensitivity, response time and stability in ion-selective electrodes. In addition the contact must have electrical conductivity. Both these requirements can normally be fulfilled by good choice of an electrolytic solution contact. The various silver- based solid contacts mentioned above are good electrical conductors (ionic or electronic) and give also probably a particular degree of the reversibility when they are employed as contacts on glass. A possible mechanism for rapid ion exchange is that mobile silver ions diffuse into the glass during the fabrication, especially when a heat treatment occurs. The main object of the invention is, on the basis of this known technique, to create glass electrodes with improved use properties, especially with respect to the formation of a reversible contact surface. According to the invention this can be achieved by designing the electrodes in accordance with the characterizing portion of claim 1. According to the invention it is found the silver fluoride (AgF) can be used as the basis for form¬ ing good solid contacts on glass electrodes. AgF has shown itself to form an excellent reversible contact on lanthanum fluoride (LaF,)-menbranes ( for example for use in fluoride analysers) . AgF is known for being un¬ stable in contact with oxides at the high temperature which is necessary for forming the contacts. Use of AgF is therefore assumed to cause etching of the glass sur¬ face (by the fluoride) combined with a diffusion of silver ions into the glass, both of the effects being assumed to be favourable for the formation of a good connection. Preliminary investigations of glass membranes with contact surface really is achieved, pH and sodium electrodes totally of solid material, where such iiiem- brane contacts are employed, are found to function well, and they have a response which is not particularly different from conventional electrodes with solution con¬ tacts. In fluoride analysers with ion-selective elec¬ trodes the test solution is normally given a fixed pH, usually acid, by means of a buffer. This was done in order to stabilize the degree of fluoride protonising in the reaction: HF < > H + + F~ A differental sensor where a pH membrane is used as a reference and a LaF, membrane as F-indicator, should therefore be ideal for fluoride analysers. EXAMPLES The preparation of contacts Commercial pH- and sodium electrodes (radiometer G 202B (pH) , G502 (Na + ) and Broadley-James 9015 (pH) were completely stripped and cleaned so that only the glass shell consisting of membrane ball and the support¬ ing glass pipe were left. The AgF-contact material was finely dispersed in isopropanol, and some few drops of the mixture were placed on the inside of the membrane ball. The ball was gradually heated in a gas flame, first carefully in order to boil away isopropanol. In the process a thin layer of AgF was placed almost evenly over the inner surface of the ball. Thereafter the ball was heated until there was produced a light gold colour, which probably was indicative of melting of AgF on the glass surface. After cooling off to room temperature, the contact was made ready by covering it with silver-conducting paint. The technique of dispersing AgF in a volatile fluid was developed by spreading the contact material finely divided and evenly over the contact surface. Direct application of dry AgF powder did not give a satisfactory result, since the material has a tendency to collect on the bottom of the ball. When the layer is too thick, this also causes the ball to burst during the heating process by reason of the difference i n ther¬ mal expansion. ^^UREAC? OMPI A qualitative picture of the structure of the contact compound was obtained by Auger electron spectroscopy. For this purpose there was examined a fragment of the supporting glass tube completely into the membrane ball (a region where the AgF contact had formed a hollow) . The chemical profile of the contact compound was studied by means of an automised Auger microprobe from Varian associates. Argon ions having an energy of 2 3 keV and a current density of 85 A/cm was employed for the spraying on. The chemical composition was examined every 15 seconds. The electron beam energy was 5 kV at _7 a current of 2x 10 A into a surface of approximately 30 m 2. The basic pressure was 10-9 torr. Qualitatively the analysis showed that the silver and fluoride content decreased gradually without disappearing totally, since the silicon signal from the gas came into view. This indicates that most probably AgF is melted together with the glass in order to make a gradual union, where both fluoride and silver ions go to the glass. Only the silver ions are assumed to be par¬ ticularly mobile at room temperature. A fused gradual union and the presence of mobile silver ions are important factors for the favouring of rapid ion exchange which is necessary in order to get a reliable reversible union. Electrode design After having provided the stripped (Radiometer G 202 B (pH) and G 502 (Na ÷ )) electrodes with AgF con¬ tacts, the original electric cables were recoupled, and the electrodes were sealed with a silicon compound (Dow Corning, Sylgard 184) . This contributed to strengthening the glass ball. For the differential sensors there were employed glass membranes of "Dradley-James 9015" pH electrodes combined with LaF, single crystal membranes, both with AgF contacts. The design is shown in two representations in fig. 1. The glass ball was placed on the forward end of an acryl tube, the LaF j membrane and an earthed auxiliary platinum electrode were placed on the side wall. OMPI The circuit for impedance adaptation and differental reinforcement were placed in the body of the sensor. Experiments 1. pH and sodium electrodes The pH and sodium electrodes of material in the solid state were developed by determining their response in respective pH and sodium standard solutions and by mea¬ suring response times for intermittent changes in the concentration of the prevailing ions. For comparison the same measurements were carried out at the same time on conventional, unmodified electrodes of the same type, • that is to say "Radiometer electrodes G20 2B (pH) and G502 (Na ) . The solutions which were used in a volume of 50 ml, stirred with magnetic stirrers. The reference electrode was of the type "Radiometer K 701" (double connection) . For potential readings there was used a "Radiometer PHM 64 Research"pH meter. All electrodes were pre-tested in accordance with prevailing procedures before use. Typical response curves obtained with the pH electrodes are shown in. ' Fig.2. Standard pH buffer solu¬ tions which were used were of the type "Merck Titrisol". Independently of a constant potential difference there is not any visible difference in the response of solid state and conventional electrodes. In fact they follow each other even in the small deviations from the ideal log-linear behaviour (indicated by the straight lines in the figure) . The pH electrodes were also tested in standard acid-base titrations. In these experiments NaOH solu¬ tions were added gradually to HC1 samples, something which resulted in characteristic intermittently equal electrode responses in the region of the neutrality of the solution. Such measurements are precise methods for determining the acid content of the samples which are not treated with buffers. Titration curves for different HC1 samples obtained with the two pH electrodes are OMPI shown in fig. 3, something which in turn indicated excellent conformity between the two. The response curves for the sodium electrodes were obtained by pipetting known additions of standard NaCl down into a background solution of 0.1 (NH^^SO,. The results for the solid state and the conventional electrodes are shown in fig. . Again the two electrodes are found to have very similar responses, both in con¬ formity with expected responses for such electrodes. In figs 5 and 6 there are shown response time measurements for solid state glass electrodes. The electrode responses were registered on an x-t registra¬ tion instrument ("Watanabe Servo Recorder, Type 652") during a gradual ten-fold increase in the concentra- tion of either HCl (pH) or NaCl (sodium) . The pH elec¬ trode reacted more rapidly than the sodium electrode, but while the response of the first-mentioned increased with the concentration of HCl (lower pH) , the sodium electrode was more rapid with increasing sodium content. The behaviour of both solid state electrodes was in good agreement with their conventional "counterparts", even if the special solid state-pH-electrode which was used here was somewhat slower than the conventional. The reason for this was probably a slight deterioration of the outer surface of the membrane by virtue of over¬ heating during the contact process. 2. pH-LaF-r-differential sensors The response of pH-LaF?-differential sensors was deter¬ mined in use with fluoride, that is to say by the addi- tion of known quantities of fluoride (NaF) to a parti¬ cular pH-acetate buffer-background solution (0.1 M HCH-, COOH + 0,1 M NaCH j COOH) . The potential vs. fluoride- concentration response curve is shown in fig.7. It is clear that the lpg-linear response extends down to con- _7 centrations in the neighbourhood of 10 M NaF, which is better than normally obtained with a known structure where a standard reference electrode is employed. The same effect was previously observed for other differential sensor combinations where halide membranes were used as reference elements. This lowering of the boundary of detection which occurs appears therefore to be associated with the elimination of the known reference electrode for the benefit of the solid membrane refer¬ ence. The response time for the sensor appears to be determined by the properties of the "active" membrane, that is to say LaF? in this case. In fig. 8 there are shown such response time measurements for increasing by ten the fluoride level in the acetate buffer back¬ ground solution. BϋR£4 O PI -

Claims: Patent claims: 1. Ion-selective pH and sodium electrodes of glass, where there is present a membrane contact be¬ tween the glass and a metal element, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d in that the membrane contact is added to a contact agent in the form of silver fluoride (AgF) . 2. Electrodes in accordance with claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a lanthanum fluoride membrane as the one electrode member. 3. Process for the production of pH and sod- ium electrodes of glass, as recited in patent claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that silver fluoride is used as contact agent. 4. Process in accordance with claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the addition of silver fluoride (AgF) to the glass membrane occurs during heating of the contact zone. 5. Process in accordance with claim 3 og 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that silver fluoride is added in a dispersing agent, such as isopropanol.

Inventors: FJELDLY TOR ARNE, NAGY KALMAN, FJELDLY, TOR, ARNE, NAGY, KALMAN
Applicants: STIFTELSEN IND OG TEK FORSK, STIFTELSEN IND TEK FORSKNING
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G01N27
IPC codes: G01N27