A new luminescence intensity-based sensor-polymer support system is described. T
he pH-sensitive element is[Ru(p
hen)
2[p
hen(OH)
2]]
2+or[Ru(Ph
2p
hen)
2[p
hen(OH)
2]]
2+ (p
hen =1,10-p
henanthroline, Ph
2p
hen = 4,7-dip
henyl-1,10-p
henanthroline, and p
hen(OH)
2 =4,7-dihydroxy-1,10-p
henanthroline) immobilized on apolymerbuilt from a four-function cyclic methyl siloxane ringpolymer having (SiRCH
3O)
4 units withpoly(ethyleneoxide) cross-linkers. Hydrophobic binding of t
hesensorto t
he polymer is used to avoid t
he need for covalentc
hemistry. T
hese sensor systems have a usablesensitivityover t
he 2-8 pH range, but are most usable in t
he 2-6pH range. Response times for thick films (250
M)arerapid (several minutes).