Membrane Sensor Research Articles

Simulation analysis of a photonic crystal fiber refractive index sensor based on a double-layer film structure and surface plasmon resonance technology

A photonic crystal fiber surface plasmon resonance sensor based on a double-layer membrane structure is designed and analyzed. In the simple sensing structure with only one air hole size, TiO2 and Au layers with specific thicknesses are sequentially coated on the optical fiber to form a double-layer structure. The sensing characteristics of the double-layer membrane structure are studied by the finite element method. Compared to the single-layer membrane structure, the double-layer membrane sensor has significant sensing properties such as a better wavelength sensitivity and a smaller full width at half maximum in the loss spectrum. In the refractive index range between 1.37 and 1.43, the maximum wavelength sensitivity and average wavelength sensitivity of the sensor are 19,900 nm/RIU and 7417 nm/RIU, respectively, and the resolution can be up to 5.03×10−6RIU. The proposed photonic crystal fiber optic sensor achieves high performance with a simpler sensing structure than previous photonic crystal fiber optic sensors, and eliminates the step of polishing, which will greatly reduce the difficulty of actual fabrication and the error due to uneven polishing. The results show that the photonic crystal fiber optic sensor with a double-layer membrane structure has excellent performance. Due to its high sensitivity and resolution, it has great potential for applications in environmental monitoring, biosensing and chemical sensing.

Sex-dimorphic effects of glucose transporter-2 gene knockdown on hypothalamic primary astrocyte phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascade protein expression and phosphorylation

Glucose transporter-2 (GLUT2), a unique high capacity/low affinity, highly efficient membrane transporter and sensor, regulates hypothalamic astrocyte glucose phosphorylation and glycogen metabolism. The phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway participates in glucose homeostasis, but its sensitivity to glucose-sensory cues is unknown. Current research used a hypothalamic astrocyte primary culture model to investigate whether glucoprivation causes PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation in one or both sexes by GLUT2-dependent mechanisms. Glucoprivation did not alter astrocyte PI3K levels, yet up-regulated both phosphorylated derivatives in female and down-regulated male p60 phosphoprotein expression. GLUT2 siRNA pretreatment diminished glucoprivic patterns of PI3K and phospho-PI3K expression in each sex. Astrocyte Akt and phospho-Akt/Thr308 proteins exhibited divergent, sex-contingent responses to GLUT2 gene knockdown or glucoprivation. GLUT2 siRNA pretreatment exacerbated glucoprivic-associated Akt diminution in the female, and either amplified (male) or reversed (female) glucoprivic regulation of phospho-Akt/Thr308 expression. GLUT2 gene silencing down- (male) or up-(female) regulated mTOR protein, and phospho-mTOR protein in male. Male astrocyte mTOR and phospho-mTOR profile were refractory to glucoprivation, but glucose-deprived females showed GLUT2-independent mTOR inhibition and GLUT2-dependent phospho-mTOR up-augmentation. Results identify a larger number of glucoprivic-sensitive PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway proteins in female versus male astrocytes, and document divergent responses of common glucose-sensitive targets. GLUT2 stimulates phosphoPI3K protein expression in each sex, but imposes differential control of PI3K, Akt, phospho-Akt/Thr308, mTOR, and phospho-mTOR profiles in male versus female. Data implicate GLUT2 as a driver of distinctive pathway protein responses to glucoprivation in female, but not male.

Designing high performance hydrogel sensor for real-time sensing applications

Achieving high performance conductive hydrogel sensor which is capable of combining as many advantages as possible in one is highly desired to satisfy real-world tasks. To this end, novel hydrogel sensors PVA/NaDa (polyvinyl alcohol/D-Gluconic acid sodium salt) and PVA/NaLa (polyvinyl alcohol/L-Glutamic acid monosodium salt) have been successfully constructed via a facile and effective strategy. The hydrogels realize the combination of robust mechanical properties (stress, strain, elastic modulus, toughness, fatigue resistance, anti-breakage ability and recovery performance), excellent conductivity, sensitive sensitivity, rapid response capacity and high cytocompatibility. The increasing hydrogen bond cross-linking density and hydrogen bond interactions of NaDa (NaLa) with PVA are mainly responsible for significantly intensified mechanical properties of PVA/NaDa and PVA/NaLa hydrogels. Benefiting from the prominent performances, the hydrogels can be processed into flexible membrane sensors to not only effectively detect the human joint motions but also sensitively simulate manual control of the mobile phone screen for writing text, demonstrating a promising application in multifunctional intelligent robots, electronic skins, artificial intelligence and among others.

Emerging Designs and Applications for Biomembrane Biosensors.

Nature has inspired the development of biomimetic membrane sensors in which the functionalities of biological molecules, such as proteins and lipids, are harnessed for sensing applications. This review provides an overview of the recent developments for biomembrane sensors compatible with either bulk or planar sensing applications, namely using lipid vesicles or supported lipid bilayers, respectively. We first describe the individual components required for these sensing platforms and the design principles that are considered when constructing them, and we segue into recent applications being implemented across multiple fields. Our goal for this review is to illustrate the versatility of nature's biomembrane toolbox and simultaneously highlight how biosensor platforms can be enhanced by harnessing it.

Stiffness driven design of membrane sensors: For broadband and selective frequency sensing

Stiffness driven design of membrane sensors: For broadband and selective frequency sensing

Enhanced Pressure Response of Edge-Deposited Graphene Nanomechanical Resonators.

Nanomechanical resonators made of suspended graphene exhibit high sensitivity to pressure changes. Nevertheless, the graphene resonator pressure performance is affected owing to the gas permeation problem between the graphene film and the substrate. Therefore, we prepared edge-deposited graphene resonators by focused ion beam (FIB) deposition of SiO2, and their gas leakage velocities and pressure-sensing ability were demonstrated. In this paper, we characterize the pressure-sensing response and gas leakage velocities of graphene membranes using an all-optical actuation system. The gas leakage velocities of graphene resonators with diameters of 10, 20, and 40 μm are reduced by 5.0 × 106, 2.0 × 107, and 8.1 × 107 atoms/s, respectively, which demonstrates that the edge deposition structure can reduce the gas leakage of the resonator. Furthermore, the pressure-sensing performance of three graphene resonators with different diameters was evaluated, and their average pressure sensitivities were calculated to be 3.4, 2.4, and 1.9 kHz/kPa, with the largest full-range hysteresis errors of 0.6, 0.7, and 1.0%, respectively. The temperature stabilities of the three sizes of resonators in the temperature range of 300-400 K are 0.016, 0.015, and 0.016%/K, and the maximum resonance frequency drift over 1 h is 0.0058, 0.0048, and 0.0112%, respectively. This work has great significance for the improvement of gas leakage velocity characterization of graphene membrane and graphene resonant pressure sensor performance optimization.

Extracellular vesicle and lipoprotein diagnostics (ExoLP-Dx) with membrane sensor: A robust microfluidic platform to overcome heterogeneity.

The physiological origins and functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and lipoproteins (LPs) propel advancements in precision medicine by offering non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic prospects for cancers, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. However, EV/LP diagnostics (ExoLP-Dx) face considerable challenges. Their intrinsic heterogeneity, spanning biogenesis pathways, surface protein composition, and concentration metrics complicate traditional diagnostic approaches. Commonly used methods such as nanoparticle tracking analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and nuclear magnetic resonance do not provide any information about their proteomic subfractions, including active proteins/enzymes involved in essential pathways/functions. Size constraints limit the efficacy of flow cytometry for small EVs and LPs, while ultracentrifugation isolation is hampered by co-elution with non-target entities. In this perspective, we propose a charge-based electrokinetic membrane sensor, with silica nanoparticle reporters providing salient features, that can overcome the interference, long incubation time, sensitivity, and normalization issues of ExoLP-Dx from raw plasma without needing sample pretreatment/isolation. A universal EV/LP standard curve is obtained despite their heterogeneities.

The highly selective green colorimetric detection of yttrium ions in biological and environmental samples using the synergistic effect in an optical sensor.

A new eco-friendly method for creating an optical sensor membrane specifically designed to detect yttrium ions (Y3+) has been developed. The proposed sensor membrane is fabricated by integrating 4-(2-arsonophenylazo) salicylic acid (APASA), sodium tetraphenylborate (Na-TPB), and tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) into a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) matrix with dimethyl sebacate (DMS) as the plasticizer. In this sensor membrane, APASA functions dually as an ionophore and a chromoionophore, while TOPO enhances the complexation of Y3+ ions with APASA. The composition of the sensor membrane has been meticulously optimized to achieve peak performance. The current membrane exhibits a linear dynamic range for Y3+ ions from 8.0 × 10-9 to 2.3 × 10-5 M, with detection and quantification limits of 2.3 × 10-9 and 7.7 × 10-9 M, respectively. No interference from other potentially interfering cations and anions was observed in the determination of Y3+. The membrane showed strong stability and a swift response time of about 3.0 minutes, with no signs of APASA leaching. This sensor is highly selective for Y3+ ions and can be renewed by treating it with 0.15 M HNO3. It has been effectively applied to measure Y3+ in nickel-based alloys, as well as in biological and environmental samples.

Highly stable and selective H2 gas sensors based on light-activated a-IGZO thin films with ZIF-8 selective membranes

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising selective membranes in oxide semiconductor gas sensors. However, their susceptibility to high temperatures poses significant challenges to the long-term stability of gas sensors. This paper proposes a novel approach for improving long-term stability by employing a light-activated technique on amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) films with a ZIF-8 membrane. Under 360 nm LED illumination, UV light can penetrate the ZIF membrane and be absorbed by a-IGZO, leading to a substantial number of photogenerated carriers in the IGZO film for gas reaction. The a-IGZO film with a ZIF-8 membrane shows an excellent selective response for H2 over CO, NO2, and O3. This light-activated film maintains a gas response comparable to that of thermal-activated counterparts while significantly improving its long-term stability. Our findings underscore the potential of light-activated a-IGZO sensors as a platform for future integration with an MOF selective membrane, ensuring long-term stability.

Frequency-Selective, Multi-Channel, Self-Powered Artificial Basilar Membrane Sensor with a Spiral Shape and 24 Critical Bands Inspired by the Human Cochlea.

A spiral-artificial basilar membrane (S-ABM) sensor is reported that mimics the basilar membrane (BM) of the human cochlea and can detect sound by separating it into 24 sensing channels based on the frequency band. For this, an analytical function is proposed to design the width of the BM so that the frequency bands are linearly located along the length of the BM. To fabricate the S-ABM sensor, a spiral-shaped polyimide film is used as a vibrating membrane, with maximum displacement at locations corresponding to specific frequency bands of sound, and attach piezoelectric sensor modules made of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) film on top of the polyimide film to measure the vibration amplitude at each channel location. As the result, the S-ABM sensor implements a characteristic frequency band of 96-12,821Hz and 24-independent critical bands. Using real-time signals from discriminate channels, it is demonstrated that the sensor can rapidly identify the operational noises from equipment processes as well as vehicle sounds from environmental noises on the road. The sensor can be used in a variety of applications, including speech recognition, dangerous situation recognition, hearing aids, and cochlear implants, and more.

Investigation of Permeability Against Some Metals with a Functional Thiophene Based Polymeric Membrane Sensor

AbstractThere are many advantages of using membranes in the separation of wastewater, but their uses are limited because they are not reusable due to blockages in the membrane. In this study, alginate‐based poly(ethyl‐methacrylate) (PEMA) polymeric membranes containing previously synthesized IOS, which are known to be selective against Fe3+, were prepared and their permeability against heavy metals such as Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Hg2+ and Pb2+ were investigated. The properties of membranes characterized by UV‐Vis and FT‐IR spectrophotometry, were investigated with analysis techniques such as SEM, contact angle measurements, TG‐DTG, DSC and AFM. As a result of the measurements taken from the UV spectrophotometer of the filtrates passed through various aqueous ion solutions of the membranes as mentioned above, it was concluded that the ion to which the membrane was most selective was the Fe3+ ion. Moreover, it could be said that thanks to the repeated filtration processes the membrane prepared retained some Fe3+ ion in each measurement and could be used many times in the filtration process. Resultantly, it is possible to say that the polymeric Fe3+ membrane sensor produced may be suitable for use when it is necessary to remove Fe3+ ion from a polluted aqueous environment.

An anion exchange membrane sensor detects EGFR and its activity state in plasma CD63 extracellular vesicles from patients with glioblastoma

We present a quantitative sandwich immunoassay for CD63 Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) and a constituent surface cargo, EGFR and its activity state, that provides a sensitive, selective, fluorophore-free and rapid alternative to current EV-based diagnostic methods. Our sensing design utilizes a charge-gating strategy, with a hydrophilic anion exchange membrane functionalized with capture antibodies and a charged silica nanoparticle reporter functionalized with detection antibodies. With sensitivity and robustness enhancement by the ion-depletion action of the membrane, this hydrophilic design with charged reporters minimizes interference from dispersed proteins, thus enabling direct plasma analysis without the need for EV isolation or sensor blocking. With a LOD of 30 EVs/μL and a high relative sensitivity of 0.01% for targeted proteomic subfractions, our assay enables accurate quantification of the EV marker, CD63, with colocalized EGFR by an operator/sample insensitive universal normalized calibration. We analysed untreated clinical samples of Glioblastoma to demonstrate this new platform. Notably, we target both total and “active” EGFR on EVs; with a monoclonal antibody mAb806 that recognizes a normally hidden epitope on overexpressed or mutant variant III EGFR. Analysis of samples yielded an area-under-the-curve (AUC) value of 0.99 and a low p-value of 0.000033, surpassing the performance of existing assays and markers.

Eco-friendly optical sensor for precise detection of gold ions in diverse matrices through the integration of β-2-hydroxybenzyl-3-methoxy-2-hydroxyazastyrene in a PVC membrane

An environmentally conscious methodology is investigated for the precise and discerning identification of trace concentrations of gold ions in diverse matrices. A novel optical sensor membrane is proposed for the determination of Au3+ ions, utilizing the immobilization of β-2-hydroxybenzyl-3-methoxy-2-hydroxyazastyrene (HMHS) entrapped in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The sensor incorporates sodium tetraphenylborate (Na-TPB) as the ionic additive and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a plasticizer. Under optimal conditions, the suggested sensor exhibits a linear calibration response to Au3+ ions within a concentration range of 5.0 to 165 ng mL−1. Detection and quantification limits are specified as 1.5 and 4.8 ng mL−1, respectively, with a rapid response time of 5.0 min. Upon presentation, this optical sensor not only affirms high reproducibility, stability, and an extended operational lifespan but also showcases exceptional selectivity for Au3+ ions. Notably, no discernible interference is observed when assessing the potential influence of other cations and anions on Au3+ ion detection. The adaptability of this optical sensor is validated through its successful application in determining Au3+ ion concentrations across various sample types, including water, environmental, cosmetics, and soil matrices.Graphical

Functionalized fennel extract-mediated alumina/cerium oxide nanocomposite potentiometric sensor for the determination of diclofenac sodium medication

The current work suggests a new, ultrasensitive green functionalized sensor for the determination of anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac sodium (DCF). Alumina (Al2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted great interest for their use as outstanding and electroactive nanocomposite in potentiometric and sensory research due to their ultrafunctional potential. The formed nanoparticles have been confirmed using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The fennel extract-mediated Al2O3/CeO2 nanocomposite (Al2O3/CeO2 NCS) modified coated wire membrane sensor developed in this study was used to quantify DCF in bulk and commercial products. Diclofenac sodium was coupled with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) to generate diclofenac phosphomolybdate (DCF-PM) as an active ion-pair in the existence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and o-nitrophenyl octyl ether (o-NPOE). Clear peaks at 270, and 303 nm with band gaps of 4.59 eV and 4.09 eV were measured using UV–vis spectroscopy of Al2O3 and CeO2, respectively. The crystallite sizes of the formed nanoparticles were XRD-determined to be 30.13 ± 8, 17.72 ± 3, and 35.8 ± 0.5 nm for Al2O3, CeO2, and Al2O3/CeO2 NCS, respectively. The developed sensor showed excellent response for the measurement and assay of DCF, with a linearity between 1.0 × 10−9 and 1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1. EmV = (57.76) log [DCF] +622.69 was derived. On the other hand, the typical type DCF-PM presented a potentiometric response range of 1.0 × 10−5-1.0 × 10−2 mol L−1 and a regression equation of EmV = (56.97) log [DCF]+367.16. The functionalized sensor that was proposed was successful in determining DCF in its commercial tablets with percent recovery 99.95 ± 0.3. Method validation has been used to improve the suitability of the suggested potentiometric technique, by studying various parameters with respect to the international council harmonization requirements for analytical methodologies.

Evaluation of immunoregulation and immunoprotective efficacy of Glaesserella parasuis histidine kinase QseC

QseC is a membrane sensor kinase that enables bacteria to perceive autoinducers −3, adrenaline, and norepinephrine to initiate downstream gene transcription. In this study, we found that the QseC protein of Glaesserella parasuis can serve as an effective antigen to activate the host's immune response. Therefore, we investigated the immunogenicity and host protective effect of this protein. ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence results showed that QseC protein can induce high titer levels of humoral immunity in mice and regularly generate specific serum antibodies. We used MTS reagents to detect lymphocyte proliferation levels and found that QseC protein can cause splenic lymphocyte proliferation with memory and specificity. Further immunological analysis of the spleen cell supernatant revealed significant upregulation of levels of IL-1β, IL-4 and IFN-γ in the QseC + adjuvant group. In the mouse challenge experiment, it was found that QseC + adjuvant can provide effective protection. The results of this study demonstrate that QseC protein provides effective protection in a mouse model and has the potential to serve as a candidate antigen for a novel subunit vaccine for further research.

A Novel Potentiometric Coated Wire Sensor Based on Functionalized Polymeric CaO/ZnO Nanocomposite Synthesized by Lavandula Spica Mediated Extract for Terbinafine Determination

AbstractThe unique properties of calcium oxide (CaO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) at the nanoscale have attracted the interest of scientists as promising electrically conductive substances for sensing purposes. The content of terbinafine hydrochloride (TRF) in pharmaceutical tablets was determined using a novel coated, wire‐functionalized CaO/ZnO nanocomposite membrane sensor biogenically produced from Lavandula spica extract. Sodium tetraphenylborate was used to prepare the active material (TRF‐TBP). The newly modified sensor gave excellent potentiometric sensitivity with the least squares regression equation EmV=(−58.88X±0.3)+log [TRF]+549.78 and covered a wide linear range (5.0×10−9–1.0×10−2 mol/L) of TRF samples. In contrast, the standard TRF‐TBP sensor wasn't as sensitive when (2.5×10−6–1.0×10−2 mol/L). TRF solutions with regression equation of (−55.728X±0.7)+log [TRF]+396.64. The appropriate pH range was 3–6. The principles of analytical methodology were applied to investigate the validity and suitability of the proposed technique. The proposed sensors were found to be suitable and efficient for the detection of TRF on tablets.

Monitoring of the prohibited 2-phenethylamine in dietary supplements using a t-Butyl calix[8]arene/Ag/CuO composite-based potentiometric sensor

2-phenethylamine (PEA) is a prohibited trace amine, that possesses amphetamine-like effect and toxicity. However, it is still present in many weight loss dietary supplements on which the quantities of PEA are not always listed. Therefore, monitoring of this toxic compound in these hypothetically safe products is essential. Herein, PEA was assayed using ion-selective potentiometric membrane sensors. A novel combination of silver doped copper oxide (Ag/CuO) nanoparticles with 4-tert-butylcalix[8]arene (BCX8) was investigated as a new ion-to-electron transducer layer used with solid contact glassy carbon electrodes. To study the effect of this novel combination, three sensors were proposed based on the incorporation of plain sodium tetraphenylborate (TPB) ion exchanger (sensor 1), TPB with BCX8 only (sensor 2) and TPB with Ag/CuO nanoparticles and BCX8 (sensor 3). The doped metal oxide nanoparticles were prepared using a simple wet co-precipitation synthesis procedure and were characterized for particle shape and size, elemental composition, and optical band gap energy. Near Nernstian responses were achieved with slope values of 52.28 ± 0.45, 54.64 ± 0.98 and 55.34 ± 0.35 mV/concentration decade and LOD of 9.88 × 10−5, 7.18 × 10−5, and 9.77 × 10−6 M for sensors 1, 2 and 3; respectively. Sensor 3 showed linearity range 1 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−2 M and response time of 10 s. The Ag/CuO nanoparticles incorporated within BCX8 network provided improved electron transfer kinetics, and was found to provide the best sensitivity, widest linearity range and the most stable and fastest response among the compared sensors. The proposed sensors showed excellent percent recoveries when applied for the analysis of PEA in its multi-ingredient formulation and showed no statistical difference with the reported method.

Development of an innovative colorimetric optical sensor for the detection of silver ions in environmental and biological samples

ABSTRACT A recently developed optical chemical sensor for silver assessment relies on polymer inclusion membranes (PIM) and avoids the use of plasticisers. This innovative optical sensor is constructed through a physical immobilisation process known as the encapsulation technique, resulting in an optical chemical membrane. The suggested PIM integrates 2-(2`-hydroxynaphthylazo)benzo-thiazole (HNABT) was used as a colorimetric reagent, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the foundational polymer, and dinonyl naphthalene sulphonic acid (DNNS) as an extractant. The created PIM demonstrates heightened responsiveness within the described approach, credited to the sensor membrane, in contrast to the optical sensor without PIM. The achieved results demonstrated that the sensor response was based on some factors such as plasticiser, film thickness, stirring effect, HNABT concentration, DNNS concentration and pH of the aqueous solution. Within the measurement range spanning from 7.5 to 250 ng mL−1 of Ag+ at pH 7.75, the absorbance response exhibits a notable correlation, achieving detection and quantification limits of 2.3 and 7.3 ng mL−1, respectively. The λmax for the PIM-based sensor registers at 577 nm. Additionally, the reproducibility and repeatability of the system are characterised by RSD of 2.25% and 1.13%, respectively, with a swift response time of approximately 3.0 min. The optode membrane’s selectivity is scrutinised in pH-buffered solutions concerning Ag+ ions. The proposed sensor is effectively applied for Ag+ assessment in food, water, environmental, and biological samples. The obtained results are corroborated by the FAAS procedure.

New potentiometric sensor for total phenolic assay of plant extracts

Abstract In this study, a sensitive, fast, and inexpensive new potentiometric determination method based on the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent (FCR) is proposed to determine the total phenolic content in plant extracts. For this purpose, a potentiometric-based all-solid-state-contact polyvinyl chloride membrane sensor was developed. Gallic acid compound was used as the active component (ionophore) in the developed sensor and the potentiometric behavior of the sensor was characterized. The detection limit of the selective sensor to the FCR was determined as 0.022 mol L−1 and showed a linear potential change in the concentration range of 0.0039 to 0.5 mol L−1 and a fast response time of 40 to 45 s. The developed sensor was also applied to the plant extracts and the obtained measurement results were found to be in agreement with the spectrometer results in the literature.

Application of pfg NMR diffusometry to study diffusion and ionization phenomena in plasticized polymeric membranes doped with ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are increasingly used as promising organic solvents for a variety of applications, including electrochemical processes, novel separation techniques and innovative methods of synthesis, due to their low volatility, excellent solvation properties, high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. Moreover, the tunable properties of ILs determined by their composition make them favorable candidates as dopants for composite and/or functional polymeric materials, e.g. in the membranes of chemical sensors. To effectively use ILs in polymeric materials and control the characteristics of the latter, one should develop a complete understanding of the properties of ILs in the polymeric phase, such as their diffusion and ionic behavior.In our previous work, we applied pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR technique to verify the results of a chronopotentiometric method conventionally used to determine the diffusion coefficients and electrolytic properties of electrolytes in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membranes of chemical sensors. The results obtained with these two independent methods were in good agreement, confirming that PEG NMR diffusometry is a viable technique for assessing the diffusion properties of species even in highly viscous polymeric media of low polarity.Here we report a comprehensive study of the transport and ionic behavior of IL 1-hexyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]amide ([C6Meim][NTf2]) in a poly(vinyl chloride) matrix, performed in situ by means of PFG NMR diffusometry. A number of sets of spectra for the 1H and 19F nuclei of the [C6Meim][NTf2] ionic liquid in PVC membranes doped with the plasticizer bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate were registered at different amplitudes of the magnetic field gradient. The mobility of both individual ions of the IL and the formed ion associates was investigated over a broad range of IL concentrations in the PVC matrix; in addition, the ionization degree and dissociation constant of [C6Meim][NTf2] were determined and their dependence on the IL content was traced.