1. An aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer (a) having a repeating unit (A) which comprises four carbon atoms connected in a linear chain and which has one double bond at the second position and a polyfluoroalkyl group bonded to an arbitrary carbon atom, and a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, wherein surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant, and wherein the polymer (a) is dispersed in an aqueous medium by the surfactant (B).
2. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein in the polymer (a), the repeating unit (A) is at least 10 mass %.
3. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) has an average particle size of at most 10 \u03bcm.
4. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) has a repeating unit (A) formed from a compound of the following formula 1:
Rf\u2014X\u2003\u2003Formula 1
wherein Rf is a C1-20 polyfluoroalkyl group which may have at least one carbon-carbon unsaturated double bond or which may have carbon atom(s) substituted by an etheric oxygen atom and X is a monovalent organic group having at least two double bonds.
5. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein in the compound of the formula 1, Rf is a group represented by CkF2k+1\u2014, wherein k is an integer of from 1 to 12 or CjF2j+1\u2014(CY1Y2CY3Y4)i\u2014, wherein each of Y1, Y2, Yand Y4 which are independent of one another, is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom, provided that at least one of them is a fluorine atom, and j and i are each an integer of at least 1 and satisfy 12\u2267(j+2\xd7i)\u22671.
6. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein in the compound of the formula 1, X is a group represented by \u2014CD1\u2550CD2CH\u2550CH2, wherein each of D1 and D2 which are independent of each other, is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom.
7. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein Rf is
CF3\u2014, F(CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)4\u2014, F(CF2)5\u2014, F(CF2)6\u2014, F(CF2)4CH2CF2\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)5CH2CF2\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)2\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)3\u2014, (CF3)CF(CF2)2\u2014, H(CF2)6\u2014, H(CF2)2\u2014, Cl(CF2)4\u2014, F(CF2)4(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)6(CH2CF2)3\u2014, F(CF2)4(CFClCF2)2\u2014, CF3CF\u2550CFCF2CF\u2550CF\u2014, CF3CF2C(CF3)CH(CF3)(CF2)2\u2014, CeF2e+1OCF(CF3)CF2OgCF(CF3)\u2014 or C3F7OCF(CF3)CF2Og(CF2)h, wherein e is an integer of from 3 to 10, g is an integer of from 0 to 8, and h is an integer of from 0 to 10.
8. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 4, wherein X is \u2014CF\u2550CHCH\u2550CH2, \u2014CH\u2550CFCH\u2550CH2 or \u2014CH\u2550CHCH\u2550CH2.
9. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the surfactant (B) is from 0.5 to 20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (a).
10. A method for producing an aqueous dispersion of claim 1, which comprises subjecting a 1,3-diene having a polyfluoroalkyl group to an emulsion polymerization reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, to form an aqueous dispersion having a polymer (a) having the repeating unit (A) of claim 1 dispersed.
11. The method for producing an aqueous dispersion according to claim 10, wherein the surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant.
12. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the proportion of the surfactant (B) is from 1 to 10 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polymer (a).
13. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) further has a polymerized unit derived from a monomer (b) having no fluorine atom.
14. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (b) in the polymer (a) is represented by a mass ratio of monomers such that the compound having repeating unit (A)the monomer (b)=1090 to 955.
15. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein monomer (b) is a (meth)acrylate containing a saturated hydrocarbon group having at least 14 carbon atoms.
16. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 13, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (b) in the polymer (a) is represented by a mass ratio of monomers such that the compound having repeating unit (A)the monomer (b)=1585 to 8515.
17. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 1, wherein the polymer (a) further has a polymerized unit derived from a monomer (d) of the following formula 3:
(Z-Y)n-G\u2003\u2003Formula 3
wherein n is 1 or 2, Z is a polyfluoroalkyl group, Y is a bivalent connecting group, and G is a monovalent or bivalent polymerizable group.
18. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein the proportion of the polymerized unit derived from the monomer (d) in the polymer (a) is at most 40 mass %.
19. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein Y is an alkylene group, a polyoxyalkylene group, an imino group, a group having an ester bond, an amide bond, an urethane bond or an ether linkage or a group represented by \u2014RM-Q-RN\u2014, wherein each of RM and RN, which are independent of each other, is a single bond, or a saturated or unsaturated C1-22 hydrocarbon group which may contain at least one hydrogen atom, and Q is a single bond, \u2014OCONH\u2014, \u2014CONH\u2014, \u2014SO2NH\u2014 or \u2014NHCONH\u2014.
20. The aqueous dispersion according to claim 17, wherein G is a residual group of a (meth)acrylate, a residual group of a maleic acid ester or a fumaric acid ester.
21. A method for producing an aqueous dispersion comprising a polymer (a) having a repeating unit (A) which comprises four carbon atoms connected in a linear chain and which has one double bond at the second position and a polyfluoroalkyl group bonded to an arbitrary carbon atom, which comprises subjecting a 1,3-diene having a polyfluoroalkyl group to an emulsion polymerization reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a surfactant (B) having a hydrophile-lipophile balance of at least 10, to form an aqueous dispersion.
22. The method for producing an aqueous dispersion according to claim 21, wherein the surfactant (B) is a nonionic surfactant andor a cationic surfactant.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of determining an analyte concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the concentration of the analyte in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least three test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least three test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least three test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least three test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including a plurality of side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the analyte concentration using electrical signals from the side-mounted meter contacts.
2. The method of claim 1 further including a spacer such that at least a portion of the spacer is located between the lid and the base, the lid, the base and the spacer assisting in forming the fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the length of the base is at least 4 times greater than the width of the base.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally polygonal shape.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrochemical test sensor further includes at least four test-sensor contacts, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid sample is blood.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyte is glucose.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts is perpendicular to the direction of the electrochemical test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing of the test sensor into the test-sensor opening is performed by front-loading.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the test-sensor contacts are in a generally non-polygonal shape.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the base further includes an underfill electrode.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein each and every one of the at least three test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least three test-sensor contacts is staggered along the width of the base with each other.
15. A method of determining a glucose concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the glucose concentration in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least four test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least four test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including a plurality of side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the plurality of side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the glucose concentration using electrical signals from the side-mounted meter contacts.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the length of the base is at least 4 times greater than the width of the base.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the fluid sample is blood.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
20. The method of claim 15 wherein each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is staggered along the width of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other.
21. A method of determining a glucose concentration of a fluid sample, the method comprising the acts of:
providing an electrochemical test sensor, the test sensor including a lid, a base and a reagent that assists in determining the glucose concentration in the fluid sample, the base having a length and a width, the length of the base being greater than the width of the base, the base including at least a working electrode, a counter electrode and at least four test-sensor contacts, the test sensor contacts being electrically connected to the electrodes, the at least four test-sensor contacts being spaced along the length of the base from each other, the base and the lid assisting in forming a fluid chamber for receiving the fluid sample, the at least four test-sensor contacts being staggered along both the width and the length of the base with each other, the at least four test-sensor contacts not overlapping along the length of the base with each other;
providing a meter including a test-sensor opening, the test-sensor opening having a length and a width, the test-sensor opening being formed between a bottom surface, a top surface and corresponding side surfaces, the side surfaces bridging the bottom and top surfaces, at least one of the side surfaces including at least three side-mounted meter contacts, the width of the test-sensor opening generally corresponding to the width of the base;
placing the test sensor into the test-sensor opening in a direction generally parallel with the length of the test sensor such that the at least three side-mounted meter contacts electrically contact a respective one of the test-sensor contacts of the electrochemical test sensor, the at least three side-mounted meter contacts being generally perpendicular to the direction of the test sensor being placed into the test-sensor opening; and
determining the glucose concentration using electrical signals from the at least three side-mounted meter contacts.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the side-mounted meter contacts extend from exactly one side.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the length of the base is at least 3 times greater than the width of the base.
24. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least three side-mounted meter contacts are generally crescent or spoon shaped.
25. The method of claim 21 wherein the meter includes at least four side-mounted meter contacts.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is spaced along the length of the base from each other and each and every one of the at least four test-sensor contacts is staggered both along the width and the length of the base with each other.