Greenificated Molecularly Imprinted Materials for Advanced Applications

Abstract

Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) produces artificial binding sites with precise complementarity to substrates and thereby is capable of exquisite molecular recognition. Over five decades of evolution, it is predicted that the resulting host imprinted materials will overtake natural receptors for research and application purposes, but in practice, this has not yet been realized due to the unsustainability of their life cycles (i.e., precursors, creation, use, recycling, and end‐of‐life). To address this issue, greenificated molecularly imprinted polymers (GMIPs) are a new class of plastic antibodies that have approached sustainability by following one or more of the greenification principles, while also demonstrating more far‐reaching applications compared to their natural counterparts. In this review, the most recent developments in the delicate design and advanced application of GMIPs in six fast‐growing and emerging fields are surveyed, namely biomedicine/therapy, catalysis, energy harvesting/storage, nanoparticle detection, gas sensing/adsorption, and environmental remediation. In addition, their distinct features are highlighted, and the optimal means to utilize these features for attaining incredibly far‐reaching applications are discussed. Importantly, the obscure technical challenges of the greenificated MIT are revealed, and conceivable solutions are offered. Lastly, several perspectives on future research directions are proposed.

Chitosan-Based Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Effective Trapping of the Nerve Agent Simulant Dimethyl Methylphosphonate

“…The selectivity, resistance, and affinity of a filter can be further enhanced using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) . An MIP is a polymer that has been processed using a molecular imprinting technique (MIT), leaving three-dimensional binding sites with a selective recognition to a chosen template molecule, often referred to as cavities. , The walls of the cavity are lined with recognizing sites including functional groups (heteroatoms, aromatic rings, etc. ), and these are created during the removal process. , The mechanism of an MIP is similar to the enzyme lock-and-key model where, after template removing, the analyte can be bound to the recognizing cavity inside the MIP because of these unique recognizing sites .…”

“…16 Recently, chitosan has been used for the selective recovery of metal resources from battery waste. 17 The large abundance of hydroxy and amino groups used for modification can be accredited to the repeating units of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine that form the copolymer. 18 The durability and water sorption of the material can be improved with the inclusion of a cross-linker, for instance, citric acid.…”

“…20 An MIP is a polymer that has been processed using a molecular imprinting technique (MIT), leaving threedimensional binding sites with a selective recognition to a chosen template molecule, often referred to as cavities. 17,21 The walls of the cavity are lined with recognizing sites including functional groups (heteroatoms, aromatic rings, etc. ), and these are created during the removal process.…”

A Potentiometric Sensor for the Determination of Pb(II) Ions in Different Environmental Samples

“…Recently, there has been a great interest in designing sensor platforms for rapid, low-cost and on-site detection of different analytes. [23][24][25][26] Ion-selective electrodes provide important alternatives to these methods with many advantages and on-site analysis possibilities. [27][28][29] Ionophores, which interact directly with the analyte ion, are the most important components of these ISEs.…”

Research Trends in Carbon Chain Polymers and Their Derivatives: Highlighting the Decade‐Long Research

“…Some of the recent articles have reported molecular imprinting technology (MIT) for polymer greenification. [7][8][9][10] This idea not only helps to reduce the environmental impact of polymers but also paves the way for efficient plastic waste management.…”