High-temperature Operation of Oxygen Electrode Giving Fast Response for Respiratory Gas Sampling.

The 98% response time of the membrane-covered Clark-type polarographic oxygen electrode may be reduced to 0.4 sec. by heating the electrode and the gas sample flowing past it to 80#{176} when the electrode is covered with 0.25-mu (6 ,) Teflon membrane. The design of the microcathode electrode has been modified slightly to prevent drying out of the electrolyte and pressure changes within the electrolyte cavity. The relationship of output current to temperature approaches a plateau at this temperature which suggests that for reasonably accurate operation, temperature regulation may not be as crucial as it is at body temperature.