Chemical Sensors – from Molecules, Complex Mixtures to Cells – Supramolecular Imprinting Strategies

Abstract

Methods of modern chemistry are a powerful tool in generating functional materials suitable as chemically sensitive layers to be combined with a variety of transducer principles. Molecular pits in polymers are formed by molecular imprinting, by suitable double-imprinting e.g. PAHs can be detected down to the sub-µg/l level. The resulting selectivity patterns depend both on the polymerization temperature and the template/mononomer composition. Organic contaminants in water can be either directly assessed in liquid phase or separated from the matrix by a porous Teflon membrane. Thus the detection limits can be reduced to the ppm-level due to the a much lower noise level in gaseous phase. Even complex processes such as engine oil degradation can be followed by suitably imprinted polymers. Pits on the nm-to µm scale are reached by surface templating polymers with microorganisms. The resulting layers show reversible, antibody-like interactions and thus are optimal sensor layers. The successful on-line detection of tobacco mosaic viruses (TMV) can be achieved by these surface imprinted layers.

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003

“…Some of the first work performed in the area involved the use of polyurethanes as the imprintable matrix, 192,218,461,[669][670][671][672]840,[1237][1238][1239][1240][1241] as exemplified in the work by Dickert and co-workers, who have also employed sol-gels 218,269 and sol-gel-like materials 220 to act as the affinity layer for piezoelectric microgravimetric analyses. Other recognition elements examined include cyclodextrins, calixarenes and paracyclophanes.…”

“…Yeast cells, viruses and bacterial cells have also been imprinted in polymer and inorganic surfaces for sensor applications. 192,221,840 Inorganic crystals (calcite) have been imprinted using an acidic monomer adsorbed on the surface of the crystals; the resultant polymers were capable of influencing both the polymorph 841 and habit 842 of crystals nucleated by the imprinted surfaces. The imprinting of helical chiral polymers of methacrylate esters bearing bulky side-chains has been shown to result in polymer gels capable of enantioselective adsorption of a number of chiral species.…”

Virus‐Templated Synthesis of ZnO Nanostructures and Formation of Field‐Effect Transistors

“…The diameter of the obtained Pd/ZnO rods was in the range of 100–150 nm with length of few micrometers. Such composites were proven suitable in TMV‐based chemical and biological sensing applications, lithium‐ion batteries, and digital device memory 28, 37–39…”

Polymeric Materials for Printed-Based Electroanalytical (Bio)Applications

“…In particular, Dickert and Lieberzelt developed a plethora of platforms (principally based on quartz microbalance) with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) to detect cells [47], bacteria [48], and viruses [49]. In addition, Lieberzelt and his group recently reported some electrochemical applications with MIPs: in 2014 [50], Cu 2+ ions were conductometrically detected down to 0.2 mM by polymerizing N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and, in 2016 [51], dengue virus was impedimetrically detected with a 0.12 pfu/mL detection limit by using a graphene oxide-polymer composite.…”