NOVEL CROSSLINKING MONOMERS FOR MOLECULAR IMPRINTING

Molecular imprinting is a simple, yet effective, way to create biomimetic materials with recognition sites for virtually any target species we choose. Though arguably lacking the elegance and refinement of their biological counterparts, these materials offer different attractive features, not least their ease and low cost of manufacture and their robust nature.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are generally prepared using a vast excess of crosslinking monomer to both build the three-dimensional matrix and impart stability to the imprinted binding cavity, In the near 50 year history of organic molecularly imprinted polymers, this crosslinking role has generally been played by a single substance, namely ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA).

In this paper, we will show our work on the molecular imprinting of a model template using new crosslinking monomers, generally based on renewable resources, including a comparison of their properties against MIPs prepared using EDMA. We will also show how the use of particular chemistries allows for post-polymerisation modification of the polymer network to introduce other potentially desirable properties.