All-solid-state chloride sensors with poly(3-octylthiopene) matrix and trihexadecylmethylammonium chlorides as an ion exchanger salt

All-solid-state chloride sensors were prepared by incorporation of trihexadecyl-methylammonium chloride (THMACl) as an ion-exchanger salt into a conjugated polymer membrane, poly(3-octylthiophene) (POT). ne influence of additional membrane components, such as a lipophilic anion, (potassium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] borate), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) or a plasticizer, (2-nitrophenyl octyl ether) were studied. The membrane components were dissolved in chloroform except for PVC, which was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The membrane solution was deposited on glassy carbon (GC) by solution casting resulting in all-solid-state chloride sensors. The sensor characteristics were determined potentiometrically and with impedance spectroscopy. The addition of plasticizer was found to be crucial in obtaining a well functioning Cl--ISE based on POT and THMACl.