Implementation of molecularly imprinted polymer beads for surface enhanced Raman detection

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer tailored molecular recognition capabilities for sensor development.
• MIP-based sensors provide label-free detection with simplified operational principles.
• Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a sensitive technique for molecular detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel MIP-based surfaces for label-free detection of nicotine using SERS.
• To investigate three distinct strategies for assembling MIP microspheres into SERS-active substrates.
• To demonstrate the proof-of-concept for selective nicotine detection with MIP-SERS sensors.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of thiol-terminated MIP microspheres via RAFT precipitation polymerization and aminolysis.
• Immobilization of MIP microspheres onto gold substrates using three different SERS assembly strategies.
• Utilizing SERS to detect nicotine in the vicinity of imprinted sites on the functionalized surfaces.

Main Results:

• Successful construction of selective SERS surfaces using large MIP microspheres through three assembly methods.
• Demonstration of label-free nicotine detection using the developed MIP-SERS sensing platforms.
• Validation of the efficiency and practicality of the reported methods for sensor fabrication.

Conclusions:

• Thiol-functionalized MIP microspheres can be effectively integrated into SERS substrates for selective analyte detection.
• The presented assembly strategies offer versatile and efficient routes for constructing label-free MIP-based chemical sensors.
• This work highlights the potential of MIP-SERS technology for sensitive and specific molecular sensing applications.