Rational design of molecularly imprinted polymers
View / Open Files
Publication Date
2015-09-17Journal Title
Soft Matter
ISSN
1744-683X
Publisher
RSC
Volume
12
Pages
35-44
Language
English
Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Curk, T., Dobnikar, J., & Frenkel, D. (2015). Rational design of molecularly imprinted polymers. Soft Matter, 12 35-44. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5SM02144H
Abstract
Molecular imprinting is the process whereby a polymer matrix is cross-linked in the presence of molecules with surface sites that can bind selectively to certain ligands on the polymer. The cross-linking process endows the polymer matrix with a chemical ‘memory’, such that the target molecules can subsequently be recognized by the matrix. We present a simple model that accounts for the key features of this molecular recognition. Using a combination of analytical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the model can account for the binding of rigid particles to an imprinted polymer matrix with valence-limited interactions. We show how the binding multivalency and the polymer material properties affect the efficiency and selectivity of molecular imprinting. Our calculations allow us to formulate design criteria for optimal molecular imprinting.
Sponsorship
This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of P. R. China, ERC Advanced Grant 227758 (COLSTRUCTION), ITN grant 234810 (COMPPLOIDS) and by EPSRC Programme Grant EP/I001352/1. TC acknowledges support from the Herchel Smith fund.
Funder references
EPSRC (EP/I001352/1)
European Research Council (227758)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C5SM02144H
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/251461
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Licence URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/