pH Sensor Electrodes - Isis Project No 1529, 1543 and 2221

A pH sensor has been developed which is accurate, robust, cheap to manufacture and most significant of all: calibration-free.

Marketing Opportunity

The measurement of pH is one of the most common analytical measurements used the world over in applications from process control in the food industry, to research in the pharmaceutical industry, through to effluent monitoring in the environmental sector. In 2002, the total pH measurement instrumentation market, including replacement sensors revenue, was estimated to be on the order of $500m.

The technology used for measuring pH is more than seven decades old and suffers from serious operational flaws. Specifically conventional glass electrodes: need constant re-calibration by suitably trained staff using expensive buffers, need careful wet storage and all too frequently break. More recent developments such as solid-state sensors and optical dye based systems all suffer serious limitations including limited pH measurement ranges and low sensitivity.

The Oxford Invention

The Oxford team have developed a range of new pH sensors which are cheap and robust to manufacture, can be used over a broad pH range, are sensitive to small changes in pH, can be miniaturised and can be used at high temperatures and pressures; but, most important of all, the new sensors require no calibration.

Patent Status

The technology is the subject three UK patent applications. Isis would like to talk to companies interested in both applying the technology and/or exploiting commercial opportunities.

Request Further Information: Project Numbers 1529 and 1543 - pH Sensor Electrodes