Design and Color Response of Colorimetric Multilumophore Oxygen Sensors

The preparation of multilumophore colorimetric luminescent oxygen sensors exhibiting red-green, red-blue, and red-green-blue color space responses across oxygen partial pressures in the range of 0-760 Torr is described. We show how the relative lumophore concentration, emission lifetime, and permeability of the polymer host matrix to oxygen may be used to control both the color space response and the sensitivity of these sensors, thus enabling the device to be optimized for operation over a specific oxygen concentration range or application. The Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) xy color space response and oxygen sensitivity of these experimental multilumophore sensors has been modeled using a combination of CIE color coordinates and Stern-Volmer quenching kinetics, and generally good agreement between the experimental and modeled response is obtained. This approach will therefore provide a useful preexperimentation tool for the design of sensors with specific response characteristics.