Elsevier, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, (203), p. 935-940
DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2014.06.103
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New solid-state phosphorescent oxygen sensors produced by solvent spotting on hydrophilic polyolefin fabrics are described. The method comprises of a simple spotting of dye solution, followed by a short post-treatment of water washing and baking (< 4 h), resulting in sensors with uniform distribution of dye molecules in a discrete spot. The resulting sensors exhibited high brightness, optimal lifetime signals (27–31 μs at 21 kPa and 49–53 μs at 0 kPa O 2), quasi-linear Stern–Volmer plots and temperature dependence. Compared to the commercial O 2 sensors (PS coating on the micro porous support), the new polyolefin-based sensors performed well, showing good wettability and fast response time in liquid (3 min for wetlaid and 7 min for spunbond PP vs. 32 min for the reference). The homogeneity of the sensors was confirmed by microscopic analysis using PLIM (phosphorescence lifetime imaging). Both sensors exhibit cross-sensitivity to humidity which is investigated in this paper through the use of confocal microscopy.