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Smart Cuvettes are optically active sample cells designed to provide spectrophotometric sensing of pH and other chemical species. Smart pH cuvettes are coated on the inside with a transparent, permanent sol-gel layer with trapped indicator dye molecules of bromcresol green. The coating is permeable to Hydronium ions, but impermeable to the dye. The dye changes color in response to the pH of the sample liquid, and the spectra of the dye is used to calculate the pH. The useful pH range is 5 – 9.
The cuvettes are permanent; you can use them multiple times. Once hydrated the response is fast (<10 seconds). The analysis is based on measuring the ratio of the absorbance of the alkaline and acidic forms of the dye. The user will need use pH 1 and pH 11 refernce buffers to set the baseline of their spectrometer. The pK’ of the dye in the cuvette is factory calibrated. The equations are provided for people who wish to use their own spectrophotometers. A complete system including pH specific software is available in the Jaz miniature spectrometer format.
Smart cuvettes come in semi-disposable plastic (PMMA) cuvettes, or in more permanent form in quartz cuvettes. The sol-gel material is also available as self adhesive patches that can mounted in your own containers. The PMMA cuvettes have a temperature range of -5 °C to 70 °C, while quartz will work for higher-temperature applications. The PMMA Cuvettes are compatible with aqueous solutions, ethanol/methanol solutions, ammonia, peroxides and sodium hypochlorite solutions. The quartz cuvettes also can be used in acetone and concentrated acids (including nitric, sulfuric and acetic).
Samples of Smart cuvettes are available by contacting Spectrecology http://spectrecology.com/pH_Sensors.php