COATED METAL PH ELECTRODES

THE OBJECT OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECT IS TO CREATE IMPROVED NOBLE METAL OXIDE PH ELECTRODES BY VACUUM SPUTTER- ING. METAL AND REACTIVE SPUTTERING, USED TOGETHER, OFFER THE INVESTIGATORS THE MEANS TO CREATE REPRODUCIBLE COMBINATIONS OF SURFACE FILMS SO THAT ACCURATE, FAST, AND ECONOMICAL ELECTRODES CAN BE REALIZED. AS A DIRECT RESULT, MINIATURE PH ELECTRODES WITH LOW ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE, WHICH ALSO RESPOND RAPIDLY TO CHANGES IN PH, MAY BE USED DIRECTLY IN BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS SUCH AS SALIVA, BLOOD, PLASMA,SPINAL FLUID, AND URINE. THE METAL STUDIED IN THIS PHASE I PROJECT WILL BE IRIDIUM. PHASE II WORK MAY OFFER TWO INTERESTING AREAS OF FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE FIRST WOULDBE THE POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRODES SMALL ENOUGH TO MEASURE PH INTRACELLULARLY; THE SECOND WOULD BE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLASS OF ELECTRODES DERIVED FROM PH ELECTRODES THAT COULD INDICATE CONCENTRATIONS OF GLUCOSE, UREA, PENICILLIN, AND OTHER COMPOUNDS OF RELEVANCE TO THE HEALTH SCIENCES.