CHAPTER 2: New Polymer-based Sensor Materials and Fabrication Technologies for Large-scale Applications

Rational design of oxygen sensing materials, optimal integration of reporter phosphor chemistry with the other sensor components (encapsulation matrix, support material, additives) and simple fabrication procedures are the main bottlenecks and challenges in producing simple and affordable O₂ sensors with stable and predictable working characteristics. Traditional approaches, such as casting of multi-component polymeric 'cocktails' in organic solvents on various supports or in situ polymerisation of reactive monomers (e.g. ormosils), have shown their utility in many research and commercial sensor systems. At the same time, new materials and fabrication technologies are emerging, which can significantly improve sensor performance, simplify the composition of the final sensor formulation and achieve better control of phosphor loading within the matrix with a sensible decrease of the sensor price per unit, thus paving the way for the wider use of O₂ sensors in large-scale applications such as packaging and some others. Here we will review these conventional and new sensor materials and technologies, highlighting their merits and limitations.