Chapter 13 - New Materials Based on Imprinted Polymers and their Application in Optical Sensors

Abstract

This chapter explores the new materials based on imprinted polymers and their application in optical sensors. Molecular imprinting is the process of template-induced formation of specific recognition sites (binding or catalytic) in a material where the template directs the positioning and orientation of the material's structural components by a self-assembling mechanism. Synthetic receptors prepared using molecular imprinting possess a unique combination of properties, such as high affinity, specificity, low price, and robustness, which make them an attractive alternative to natural receptors, enzymes, and antibodies used in biosensors. This gives a brief overview of the technology with specific emphasis on the mechanisms underlying the ability of imprinted polymers to perform highly selective functions such as recognition and transformation of a binding event into a detectable optical signal. This chapter also highlights the problems associated with the application of molecularly imprinted polymers in sensors. Possible solutions to these problems are discussed and recommendations made about where commercial application of imprinted sensors seems most feasible.