CARBON DIOXIDE DETECTOR HAVING AN ACRYLIC BASED SUBSTRATE
Embodiments disclosed herein may include a carbon dioxide detector having an acrylic-based substrate impregnated with a carbon dioxide sensitive dye. The carbon dioxide sensitive dye may include a pH indicator which changes color based on the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air at the surface of the indicator. In some embodiments, the impregnated polymer may be incorporated into a window in the carbon dioxide detector, while in other embodiments an element of a ventilation system may be composed of the impregnated polymer. For example, a casing for an endotracheal tube or the tube itself may be composed of the acrylic-based polymer impregnated with the carbon dioxide sensitive dye.
1 . A carbon dioxide detector, comprising:
an acrylic polymer substrate; and
a carbon dioxide sensitive dye generally impregnated within the acrylic polymer substrate.
2 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 1 , wherein the acrylic polymer substrate comprises a polymer of sodium acrylate, acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, methyl acrylate, methylmethacrylate, aliphatic acrylates, hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, acrylamide, aminoalkyl methacrylate, styrene, and/or vinylene, and/or combinations thereof.
3 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensitive dye comprises a pH indicator, including metacresol purple, thymol blue, cresol red, phenol red, xylenol blue, bromothymol blue, neutral red, phenolphthalein, rosolic acid, α-naphthelphthalein, and/or orange I, and/or combinations thereof.
4 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 1 , wherein the acrylic polymer substrate contains enough hydrophilic elements to enable acidification of carbon dioxide gas.
5 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 1 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensitive dye is impregnated within the acrylic polymer substrate during polymerization.
6 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 1 , comprising a plastic element capable of being placed in a visible location of a ventilation system.
7 . An endotracheal tube being made of an acrylic polymer having a carbon dioxide sensitive dye disposed therein, wherein the endotracheal tube is capable of changing color in response to a concentration of carbon dioxide in the tube.
8 . The endotracheal tube of claim 7 , wherein the acrylic polymer comprises a polymer of sodium acrylate, acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, methyl acrylate, methylmethacrylate, aliphatic acrylates, hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, acrylamide, aminoalkyl methacrylate, styrene, and/or vinylene, and/or combinations thereof.
9 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 7 , wherein the acrylic polymer contains enough hydrophilic elements to enable acidification of carbon dioxide gas.
10 . The carbon dioxide detector of claim 7 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensitive dye comprises a pH indicator, including metacresol purple, thymol blue, cresol red, phenol red, xylenol blue, bromothymol blue, neutral red, phenolphthalein, rosolic acid, α-naphthelphthalein, and/or orange I, and/or combinations thereof.
11 . A ventilation system, comprising:
a resuscitator; and
a carbon dioxide detector operably coupled to the resuscitator and comprising an acrylic polymer substrate generally impregnated with a carbon dioxide sensitive dye.
12 . The ventilation system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensitive dye is capable of changing color depending on a carbon dioxide concentration in air.
13 . The ventilation system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide detector comprises an endotracheal tube.
14 . The ventilation system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide detector comprises a generally transparent window through which the carbon dioxide sensitive dye may be observed.
15 . The ventilation system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide detector comprises a color comparison portion configured to enable determination of the carbon dioxide concentration by comparison to the color of the carbon dioxide sensitive dye.
16 . The ventilation system of claim 11 , wherein the carbon dioxide sensitive dye comprises a pH indicator, including metacresol purple, thymol blue, cresol red, phenol red, xylenol blue, bromothymol blue, neutral red, phenolphthalein, rosolic acid, α-naphthelphthalein, and/or orange I, and/or combinations thereof.
17 . A method comprising:
providing a carbon dioxide detector having a color-changing element and a color comparison element, wherein the color-changing element comprises:
an acrylic polymer substrate; and
a carbon dioxide sensitive dye generally impregnated within the acrylic polymer substrate.
18 . The method of claim 17 , comprising coupling the carbon dioxide detector to a resuscitator.