Molecular imprinting technology (MIT), often described as a method of making a molecular lock to match a molecular key, is a technique for the creation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with tailor-made binding sites complementary to the template molecules in shape, size and functional groups. Owing to their unique features of structure predictability, recognition specificity and application universality, MIPs have found a wide range of applications in various fields. Herein, we propose to comprehensively review the recent advances in molecular imprinting including versatile perspectives and applications, concerning novel preparation technologies and strategies of MIT, and highlight the applications of MIPs. The fundamentals of MIPs involving essential elements, preparation procedures and characterization methods are briefly outlined. Smart MIT for MIPs is especially highlighted including ingenious MIT (surface imprinting, nanoimprinting, etc.), special strategies of MIT (dummy imprinting, segment imprinting, etc.) and stimuli-responsive MIT (single/dual/multi-responsive technology). By virtue of smart MIT, new formatted MIPs gain popularity for versatile applications, including sample pretreatment/chromatographic separation (solid phase extraction, monolithic column chromatography, etc.) and chemical/biological sensing (electrochemical sensing, fluorescence sensing, etc.). Finally, we propose the remaining challenges and future perspectives to accelerate the development of MIT, and to utilize it for further developing versatile MIPs with a wide range of applications (650 references).

http://ir.yic.ac.cn/bitstream/133337/17045/1/Molecular%20imprinting%20perspectives%20and%20applications.pdf

Molecular imprinting: perspectives and applications

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003

Over the past century, hydrogels have emerged as effective materials for an immense variety of applications. The unique network structure of hydrogels enables very high levels of hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, while at the same time exhibiting the soft physical properties associated with living tissue, making them ideal biomaterials. Stimulus-responsive hydrogels have been especially impactful, allowing for unprecedented levels of control over material properties in response to external cues. This enhanced control has enabled groundbreaking advances in healthcare, allowing for more effective treatment of a vast array of diseases and improved approaches for tissue engineering and wound healing. In this extensive review, we identify and discuss the multitude of response modalities that have been developed, including temperature, pH, chemical, light, electro, and shear-sensitive hydrogels. We discuss the theoretical analysis of hydrogel properties and the mechanisms used to create these responses, highlighting both the pioneering and most recent work in all of these fields. Finally, we review the many current and proposed applications of these hydrogels in medicine and industry.

/pdf/stimulus-responsive-hydrogels-theory-modern-advances-and-20f2g2ofnl.pdf

Stimulus-responsive hydrogels: Theory, modern advances, and applications

The detection of specific proteins as biomarkers of disease, health status, environmental monitoring, food quality, control of fermenters and civil defence purposes means that biosensors for these targets will become increasingly more important. Among the technologies used for building specific recognition properties, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are attracting much attention. In this critical review we describe many methods used for imprinting recognition for protein targets in polymers and their incorporation with a number of transducer platforms with the aim of identifying the most promising approaches for the preparation of MIP-based protein sensors (277 references).

/pdf/the-rational-development-of-molecularly-imprinted-polymer-5023l9x1po.pdf

The rational development of molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensors for protein detection.

Molecular imprinting is a versatile technique providing functional materials able to recognize and in some cases respond to biological and chemical agents of interest. In contrast to biological antibodies, the best known receptors derived from biological combinatorial processes, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are obtained by template-directed synthesis. Thus, molecular imprinting can more properly be characterized as a "rational design" approach, allowing research and application problems to be solved. Using simple molecular building blocks, material chemists can now produce tailored synthetic materials of much improved stabilities able to replace or complement natural receptors.

Yu Der Lee

Papers

Molecularly imprinted polymeric film on semiconductor nanoparticles analyte detection by quantum dot photoluminescence.

Synthesis and photoluminescence study of molecularly imprinted polymers appended onto CdSe/ZnS core-shells.

Synthesis of molecular imprinted organic–inorganic hybrid polymer binding caffeine

Photo-lithographically impregnated and molecularly imprinted polymer thin film for biosensor applications.