Surface imprinting: integration of molecular recognition and transduction

• US 20040058380A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Polytechnic University (New York University)
• Original Assignee: Polytechnic University (New York University)
• Inventors: Yu, Bin, Zhou, Yanxiu, Levon, Kalle
• Application Number:
  US10/242,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20040058380A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5438 Electrodes

Abstract

Surface-molecularly imprinted sensors were fabricated for detecting ionic molecules. Target molecules are recognized by the combination of a hydrophobic interaction with the imprinted polymer layer to provide specificity and an electrostatic interaction to provide sensitivity Coupling surface imprinting techniques with an electrochemical detection method, such as potentiometry, allows specific recognition of target molecules and translation of the recognition event into an output signal by the sensor.

Claims

11. A method for detecting target ionic molecules using a surface-molecularly imprinted sensor, the method comprising:

a) providing a solution containing target ionic molecules;

b) providing a sensor including a polymer monolayer or film coating a support surface and being imprinted with cavities for detecting the target ionic molecules;

c) choosing a detection method appropriate for the type of support surface; and

d) recognizing target ionic molecules based on the detection method'"'"'s output.

1. A surface-molecularly imprinted sensor for detecting target ionic molecules, the sensor comprising:

a) a support surface; and

b) a polymer monolayer or film coating the support surface, wherein the polymer monolayer or film is imprinted with cavities for detecting the target ionic molecules.

2. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the support surface is an electrode.

3. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the polymer monolayer or film is selected from a group consisting of octadecyltrichlorosilane and any trichlorosilane compounds, the trichlorosilane compounds including octenyltrichlorosilane, cyclohexlmethyl)trichlorosilane, bromoprpyltrichlorosilane, trichlorosilane, tert-butyltrichlorosilane, ethoxytrichlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, pentyltrichlorosilane.

4. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities are complementary to the size, geometry, and functionality of the target ionic molecules.

5. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities are made by template molecules.

6. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 5 wherein the template molecules occur in suspension as undisassociated, nonpolar pairs.

7. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities imprinted in the polymer monolayer or film are specific to chiral amino acids.

8. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities imprinted in the polymer monolayer or film are specific to dipicolinic acid.

9. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities imprinted in the polymer monolayer or film are specific to methylphosphonic acid.

10. The surface-molecularly imprinted sensor of claim 1 wherein the cavities imprinted in the polymer monolayer or film are specific to any organic, inorganic, or biological materials used as a template.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the support surface is an electrode.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the detection method is potentiometry and wherein the detection method'"'"'s output is the potential response of the solution.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein a hydrophobic interaction occurs between the target molecule and the sensor'"'"'s imprinted polymer layer and an electrostatic interaction occurs between the target molecule and the sensor'"'"'s electrode surface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the hydrophobic interaction provides selectivity according to the target molecule'"'"'s size, geometry, and functionality.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrostatic interaction is a proton transfer from the target molecule to the electrode'"'"'s surface.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the polymer monolayer is selected from a group consisting of octadecyltrichlorosilane and any trichlorosilane compounds, the tricholorosilane compounds including octenyltrichlorosilane, cyclohexlmethyl)trichlorosilane, bromoprpyltrichlorosilane, trichlorosilane, tert-butyltrichlorosilane, ethoxytrichlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, pentyltrichlorosilane.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the cavities are complementary to the size, geometry, and functionality of the target ionic molecules.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the cavities are made by template molecules.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the template molecules occur in suspension as undisassociated, nonpolar pairs.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the target ionic molecules are chiral molecules.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein the target ionic molecules are chiral amino acids.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein the target ionic molecules are methylphosphonic acids.

22-1. The method of claim 11 wherein the target ionic molecules are dipicolinic acids.

24. A method for fabricating a surface-molecularly imprinted sensor, the method comprising:

a) co-adsorbing polymer monomers and template molecules on a support surface;

b) polymerizing the polymer monomers while template molecules are adsorbed on the support surface; and

c) removing the template molecules from the sensor'"'"'s surface.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the support surface is an electrode.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrode support surface is selected from a group consisting of indium-tin oxide glass electrodes, gold, platinum, glassy carbon, carbon paste, copper, and semiconductor electrodes, and wherein the semiconductor electrodes include SnO₂ and TiO₂.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the sensor'"'"'s support surface is selected from a group consisting of glass, optic fiber, and quartz.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the polymer monomers are selected from a group consisting of octadecyltrichlorosilane, octenyltrichlorosilane, cyclohexlmethyl)trichlorosilane, bromoprpyltrichlorosilane, trichlorosilane, tert-butyltrichlorosilane, ethoxytrichlorosilane, methyltrichlorosilane, pentyltrichlorosilane and all alkyl trichlorosilanes.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the template molecules are chiral molecules.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein the act of co-adsorbing polymer monomers and template molecules on the support surface includes soaking the support in a suspension containing template molecules and polymer monomers.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the template molecules in suspension occur as undisassociated, nonpolar pairs.

33. The method of claim 24 wherein the act of removing the template molecules from the sensor'"'"'s surface is performed by solvent extraction.

34. The method of claim 24 wherein the template molecules are chiral amino acids.

35. The method of claim 24 wherein the template molecules are dipicolinic acids.

36. The method of claim 24 wherein the template molecules are methylphosphonic acids.