Dual fluorescence sensor for trace oxygen and temperature with unmatched range and sensitivity

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Accurate simultaneous measurement of oxygen and temperature is crucial for various scientific and industrial applications.
• Existing dual sensors often struggle with broad temperature ranges or high sensitivity at low oxygen concentrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel optical dual sensor for simultaneous, highly sensitive oxygen and temperature measurement.
• To achieve broad operational temperature range and high performance under extreme conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized luminescence lifetime measurements with two distinct luminescent compounds: ruthenium tris-1,10-phenanthroline for temperature sensing and Fullerene C70 for oxygen sensing.
• Incorporated probes into specific polymer matrices (poly(acrylonitrile), ethyl cellulose, or organosilica) to optimize performance and minimize cross-sensitivity.
• Employed fluorescence lifetime imaging for spatially resolved sensing.

Main Results:

• The dual sensor demonstrated high oxygen sensitivity and a broad operational temperature range (0–120 °C).
• Achieved low detection limits for oxygen in the parts-per-billion range (ppbv) up to 50 parts-per-million (ppmv).
• The sensor exhibited short response times and outperformed previously reported dual oxygen and temperature sensors.

Conclusions:

• The developed optical dual sensor offers superior performance for simultaneous oxygen and temperature monitoring, especially under extreme conditions.
• This technology represents a significant advancement for applications in food packaging, biotechnology, space technology, and safety monitoring.