PORTABLE SENSORS FOR DETERMINATION OF LIQUID SURFACE TENSION, AND METHODS OF USES THEREOF

摘要

The present invention relates to the measurement of liquid surface tension using a small, portable sensor. More specifically, the present invention relates to a sensor on which a droplet of the sample liquid is placed and quickly either wets and changes color or remains non-wetted for several minutes. The detection range of this type of sensor is tunable to surface tensions useful for detecting surfactant levels in water, biological liquids, and other liquids, making it useful for a variety of medical, veterinary, home-care, environmental, and global health applications.

主权项

1. A method of determining surface tension of a fluid sample comprising:
a. contacting the fluid sample with a selectively wetting layer of a surface tension sensor, wherein the surface tension sensor comprises the selectively wetting layer and an indicator layer, the selectively wetting layer comprising a roughened and/or porous structure tuned to a pre-determined critical wetting surface tension (CWST), and the indicator layer comprising a hydrophilic material and a detectable agent, wherein the detectable agent generates a detectable signal upon wetting of the indicator layer; b. detecting a detectable signal from the indicator layer; and c. determining surface tension of the fluid sample to be below the pre-determined CWST if a detectable signal from the indicator layer is present; or
determining surface tension of the fluid sample to be at or above the pre-determined CWST if a detectable signal from the indicator layer is absent.