Accurate and Robust pH Sensor Made From Hydrogels

Purdue University researchers are developing a new hydrogel pH sensor that’s based on a fairly simple design. Depending on the acidity of the environment the sensor is in, thin strips of hydrogel will contract or expand to specific sizes. The sizes of the hydrogel strips are measured precisely with a laser, creating a unique diffraction pattern, somewhat analogous to how a compact disc works. The diffraction patterns can be translated to a precise pH value.
Not only is the design simple, but the researchers are touting the new sensor as more practical: low-cost, highly sensitive, and extremely robust. Such sensors could be used in a variety of chemical and biological applications, such as environmental monitoring in water and glucose monitoring in blood.
Article @ Purdue University: Hydrogels used to make precise new sensor…
Abstract or Full paper…