Stimulus-Responsive Imprinted Polymer-Based Potentiometric Sensor for Reversible Detection of Neutral Phenols

Area of Science:

• Polymer chemistry
• Analytical chemistry
• Sensor technology

Background:

• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer selective detection but struggle with reversible sensing due to high target affinity.
• Conventional MIP sensors lack the ability to regenerate binding sites after measurement, limiting their reusability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel method for fully reversible potentiometric detection of neutral phenols using stimulus-responsive MIPs.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using a pH-responsive MIP for reversible sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a pH-responsive MIP using 4-vinylphenylboronic acid as a functional monomer.
• Utilized the boronate-affinity MIP to covalently bind with cis-diol containing compounds (e.g., catechol) in a weakly alkaline solution.
• Regenerated the MIP binding sites by altering the surrounding pH to acidic, enabling reversible detection.

Main Results:

• The proposed smart sensor demonstrated significantly improved reversibility compared to conventional MIP-based sensors.
• The pH-responsive MIP successfully bound and released catechol, showcasing stimulus-induced regeneration.
• The strategy proved effective for reversible potentiometric detection of neutral phenols.

Conclusions:

• Stimulus-responsive MIPs provide a viable strategy for designing reversible electrochemical and optical sensors.
• This approach overcomes the limitations of traditional MIPs, enabling repeated measurements without performance degradation.
• The developed sensing platform holds promise for various analytical applications requiring reusable selective receptors.