COMPOSITIONALLY DIFFERENT POLYMER-BASED SENSOR ELEMENTS AND METHODS FOR PREPARING SAME

摘要

The present invention provides a combinatorial approach for preparing arrays of chemically sensitive polymer-based sensors which are capable of detecting the presence of a chemical analyte in a fluid in contact therewith. The described methods and devices comprise combining varying ratios of at least first and second organic materials which, when combined, form a polymer or polymer blend that is capable of absorbing a chemical analyte, thereby providing a detectable response. The detectable response of the sensors prepared by this method is not linearly related to the mole fraction of at least one of the polymer-based components of the sensors, thereby making arrays of these sensors useful for a variety of sensing tasks.