MINIATURIZED TEXTILE-BASED MULTI-LAYER PH-SENSOR FOR WOUND MONITORING APPLICATIONS

Wound assessment has become an important issue in the wound treatment procedure. One important indicator of the wound status is the pH value. Our approach to assess this quantity is through use of a fiber sensor coated with a pH-responsive hydrogel, which functions as a sensitive layer for impedance measurements. An advantage of this is its integratability into wound dressings using standard textile technologies. The pH characteristic shows a pH-dependent behavior of the absolute impedance at certain frequencies. The fabrication technology and sensor characteristics are discussed. The values of almost 14% impedance change demonstrate the potential for improvement by optimizing fabrication technologies. The presented sensor meets all requirements necessary for wound pH assessment.