Electrochemical and hydrodynamic interferences on the performance of an oxygen microsensor with built-in electrochemical microactuator

An in situ self-diagnostic technique for a dissolved oxygen microsensor is proposed in an effort to devise an intelligent microsensor system with an integrated electro-chemical actuation electrode. With a built-in platinum microelectrode that surrounds the microsensor, two kinds of microenvironments (oxygen-saturated or oxygen-depleted phases) can be created by water electrolysis depending on the polarity. The functionality of the microsensor can be checked during these microenvironment phases. The polarographic oxygen microsensor is fabricated on a flexible polyimide substrate (Kapton^®) and the influences of electrochemical and hydrodynamic conditions on the sensor responses have been investigated.