Solid Contact Ion-Selective Electrodes for in Situ Measurements at High Pressure

Solid contact polymeric ion-selective electrodes (SC-ISEs) have been fabricated using microporous carbon (μPC) as the ion-to-electron transducer, loaded with a liquid membrane cocktail containing both ionophore and additive dissolved in plasticizer. These SC-ISEs were characterized and shown to be suitable for analysis in aqueous environments at pressures of 100 bar. Potassium ISEs, prepared in this manner, showed excellent performance at both atmospheric and elevated pressures, as evaluated by their response slopes and potential stability. These novel SC-ISEs were shown to be capable of measuring K⁺ at pressures under which traditional liquid-filled ISEs fail. Furthermore, the effect of pressure on the response of these sensors had little or no effect on potential, sensitivity, or limit of detection. High pressure sensor calibrations were performed in standard solutions as well as simulated seawater samples to demonstrate their usefulness as sensors in a deep-sea environment. These novel SC-ISE sensors show promise of providing the ability to make in situ real-time measurements of ion-fluxes near deep-ocean geothermal vents.