Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Applicable for Biomimetic Catalysts in Sensors

In general, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) do not function as catalysts. Therefore, developing sensors that operate with simplicity comparable to that of enzymatic sensors is difficult. Sensors are being developed based on the inherent property of MIPs, including changes in porosity and permeability induced by site-specific interactions with a template. This property is considered a gate effect and has been used for the successful sensing of theophylline, heparin, amino acids, and glucose. The simplicity of this sensing method is similar to that of enzymatic sensors, with high sensitivity, selectivity, and response speed. Further study of the mechanism of the gate effect with a focus on the inhomogeneous structure of polymer matrices should improve sensing abilities.