Patent ID: 8313710

Claim:
A multilayered optical sensing patch comprising: (a) a heat sealable polymer substrate layer comprised of one or more of a polyether, polyamide or polyolefin; and having an optical transparency of 50% or greater over the spectral range of interest and a processing temperature of 180° C. or less; (b) a polymeric sensing membrane layer heat sealed to said heat sealable polymer substrate layer said polymeric sensing membrane layer, comprised of: (i) a porous polymer support membrane layer having been subjected to a pretreatment, said pretreatment allowing the porous polymer support membrane to withstand a heat sealing process in which both layers are heated to a temperature higher than an onset melting point of the heat polymer substrate sealable layer, but lower than a melt temperature of the polymeric sensing membrane layer; said porous polymer support membrane having a plurality of pores disposed therein; said porous polymer support membrane consisting of nylon, polyester, or nitrocellulose having a pore size of from about 0.1 to about 20 μm and an onset melt temperature of 200° C. or greater, (ii) an optical sensing composition comprising a reactive indicator covalently bonded to chemical groups on the porous polymer support membrane, said optical sensing composition comprising a fluorescent or colorimetric sensing composition for the detection or measurement of oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide, ammonia, alkali, and alkaline-earth metal ions, or metabolites; the reactive indicator being covalently bonded to free amines or amino groups on a surface of the porous polymer support membrane.