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Published on: January 10, 2017
Selective vapor sorption by polymers and cavitands on acoustic wave sensors: is this molecular recognition?
J W Grate1, S J Patrash, M H Abraham
1Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352.
Abstract:
Selectivity patterns for the sorption of organic vapors from the gas phase into cavitand monolayers on acoustic wave sensors are very similar to those seen for sorption of the same vapors by amorphous polymers, demonstrating that the vapor/cavitand selectivity patterns are determined primarily by solubility interactions. The amorphous polymers serve as controls demonstrating that the three-dimensional structure of a cavitand layer is not primarily responsible for the selectivity observed. Binding and selectivity in the examples cited are governed primarily by general dispersion interactions and not by specific oriented interactions that could lead to molecular recognition.

