A method for preparing a reference electrode and a lithium ion battery with a reference electrode. In some embodiments, a method includes the following steps: welding a reference electrode substrate to a lower portion of a current collector metal sheet with a tab-film; melting metal lithium into a liquid state; immersing a lower portion of the reference electrode substrate welded with the current collector metal sheet into the liquid lithium; coating a lower portion of the tab-film with a layer of separator to obtain a reference electrode with a separator coating; inserting the reference electrode between a separator of a core of a lithium ion battery and an anode piece; and packaging in plastic the lithium ion battery implanted with the reference electrode to obtain the lithium ion battery with the reference electrode.

A reference electrode with a liquid-impermeable enclosure comprises a chamber for a reference electrolyte. The reference electrode also comprises a first electrode element comprises a reference electrolyte electrode surface arranged to contact a reference electrolyte located within the chamber and a second electrode element is provided at least partially outside the enclosure and comprises a sample electrode surface for contacting a sample. The first and second electrode are electrically connected through the enclosure. Alternatively or additionally, a conductive connecting element defining a part of the enclosure and/or extending through the enclosure electrically connects the first electrode element and the second electrode element.

Various apparatus, systems, and methods for measuring a solution characteristic of a sample comprising microorganisms are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sensor apparatus is disclosed comprising a sample container comprising a sample chamber configured to receive the sample and a reference sensor component comprising a reference conduit having a reference conduit cavity defined therein. The reference conduit cavity can be at least partially filled with a reference buffer gel, buffer solution, or wicking component. A segment of the reference conduit can extend into the sample chamber. A reference electrode material can be positioned at a proximal end of the wicking component or extend partially into the reference conduit cavity. The sensor apparatus can also comprise an active sensor component having an active electrode in fluid contact with the sample. The sample in the sample chamber can be aerated through an aeration port defined along a surface of the sample container.

This disclosure provides techniques for extending useful life of a reference electrode, as well as a novel voltametric system and measurement cell design and related chemistries. An automated, repeatable-use system features a reference electrode that directly immerses a metallic conductor into an analyte, with electrolytes (e.g., chlorides) used for measurement being separately added and removed for each measurement cycles; the metallic conductor can optionally be left exposed to clean dry air in between measurements. In one implementation, the system can be restricted to application with specific analytes (e.g., ground water) that are known in advance to be free of substances that could degrade reference electrode use or lifetime. Cleaning solutions can optionally be used that would not be practical with conventional (insulated) reference electrode designs. In another embodiment, a measurement cell can be configured to receive separated electrode modules, permitting independent cleaning/removal of the working electrode (or other electrodes).

Provided is an electrode for electrochemical measurement for detecting or quantitatively determining a target substance, the electrode comprising: a complex supported on a surface of the electrode, wherein the complex is a complex comprising a probe for the target substance, a quantum dot which binds to the probe and is doped with nitrogen and sulfur, and a conductive polymer nanowire in which a metal nanoparticle is embedded.

A particular-gas concentration-measuring apparatus measures a particular gas concentration being the concentration of a particular gas in a measurement-object gas. The particular-gas concentration-measuring apparatus comprises a particular-gas concentration derivation unit. The particular-gas concentration derivation unit causes an electromotive-force acquisition unit to acquire an electromotive force and derives a correction value compensating for the difference between a correction-value derivation electromotive force that is the electromotive force and the reference electromotive force at a correction-value derivation time. The correction-value derivation time is a time during which a sensing electrode is exposed to a correction-value derivation gas, the correction-value derivation gas being the measurement-object gas where neither ammonia nor a combustible gas is assumed to be included. The particular-gas concentration derivation unit derives the particular gas concentration using a corrected electromotive force determined by correcting the electromotive force with the correction value.

A sensor element includes: a main pump cell constituted by an inner pump electrode facing a first inner space into which a measurement gas is introduced, an external pump electrode provided on a surface of the sensor element, and a solid electrolyte located therebetween; and a measurement pump cell constituted by a measurement electrode facing a second inner space communicated with the first inner space and functioning as a reduction catalyst for NOx; and a solid electrolyte located therebetween. The inner pump electrode is a cermet made of Pt and ZrO.sub.2, the inner pump electrode has a porosity ranging from 1-5% and a thickness ranging from 5-20 μm, a resistance of the main pump cell is equal to or smaller than 150Ω, and a diffusion resistance from the gas inlet to the inner pump electrode is ranging from 200-1000 cm.sup.−1.

The present invention is directed to a method of detecting microbial stress. The method comprises the following: providing an electrochemical device having at least one reference electrode and one working electrode wherein the electrochemical device also contains a fermenting microbe, setting an electrochemical potential, providing a source of electrical energy electrically connected to the at least one working electrode, detecting a transfer of electrons from the working electrode to the fermenting microbe, wherein the detection is an indication of microbial stress, and providing a remedial action in response to the indication of microbial stress.

Reference electrodes that include a solid electron conductor; an interlayer; and a polymeric membrane layer comprising a polymer composition, the polymer composition comprising at least one silicone-containing polymer and at least one ionic liquid, wherein the polymeric membrane layer and the polymer composition are essentially plasticizer free and the silicone-containing polymer and the ionic liquid are miscible as determined using a thermodynamic method that shows a single glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of a composition including the at least one silicone-containing polymer and the at least one ionic liquid, wherein the interlayer is disposed between the solid electron conductor and the polymeric membrane layer. Also disclosed are electrochemical measurement systems including such reference electrodes.

A biocompatible medical device may include an electrochemical sensor including a common reference electrode; at least one counter electrode; and a work electrode platform comprising a plurality of respective work electrodes, each respective work electrode electrically coupled to the common reference electrode and comprising a respective reagent substrate configured to react with a respective analyte to produce a respective signal indicative of a concentration of the respective analyte; and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the electrochemical sensor, and configured to receive from the electrochemical sensor a plurality of signals from the plurality of respective work electrodes; identify the respective signal corresponding to a respective selected work electrode; and process the identified signal to determine the concentration of the respective analyte associated with the respective selected work electrode.