Template recognition and changes in the diffusive permeability of a thin layer of molecularly imprinted polymer

Molecular imprinting is a new technology used for synthe-sis of polymers potentially useful in sensing or separating devices with antibody-like specificity. Here we report that a thin layer of molecularly imprinted copolymer has the property of increasing its diffusive permeability in the presence of its template. A thin layer of molecularly imprinted poly (methacrylic acid -co- ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) against theophylline was formed on the surface of indium-tin oxide (ITO). Cyclic voltammetry was performed with ferrocyanide using the copolymer-grafted ITO as a working electrode in the presence or absence of the template. The presence of the template remarkably enhanced the anodic current. This result suggests that the diffusive permeability of the thin layer of molecularly imprinted polymer is sensitive to the presence of its template molecule. This hypothesis is supported by atomic force micrography, in which the surface porosity of the layer of molecularly imprinted polymer is increased by the presence of its template. We conclude that the structure and diffusive permeability of a thin layer of molecularly imprinted poly (methacrylic acid -co- ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) is sensitive to the presence of its template.