Novel format of molecularly imprinted polymers for the development of electrochemical sensors

Abstract

We report here on the synthesis of a novel Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) against the neurotransmitter serotonin on pre-formed SiO2 nanobeads by surface imprinting via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The as-synthesized core-shell Ser-MIP@SiO2 nanobeads were integrated onto electrode surfaces to develop advanced electrochemical sensors for this analyte. The successful immobilization of Ser-MIP@SiO2 nanobeads was carried out by the electropolymerization of either o-phenylenediamine (OPD) or ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and preliminary results on the sensing capability of the novel modified electrodes were also achieved. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media.