Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor Systems And Related Methods

• US 20100039124A1
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmounth College (Dartmouth College)
• Original Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmounth College (Dartmouth College)
• Inventors: Gibson, Ursula J., Wybourne, Martin N., Lipson, Jane E.G., Belbruno, Joseph J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,034,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/693
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2600/00 Assays involving molecular imprinted polymers/polymers created around a molecular template
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/127 comprising nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis

Abstract

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor including a substrate, two or more electrodes, a conductive layer applied to the substrate and a molecularly imprinted polymer layer applied to the conductive layer is disclosed herein The MIP sensor may form part of an MIP sensor system that can be used to detect and quantify target molecules.

Claims

1. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor comprising:

a substrate;

two or more electrodes;

a conductive layer applied to the substrate and contacting the two or more electrodes; and

a molecularly imprinted polymer layer applied to the conductive layer.

2. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass, rubber, sapphire, a nitride ceramic and a carbide ceramic.

3. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises a layer of metallic nanoparticles having diameters ranging from 2-50 nanometers.

4. The MIP sensor of claim 3, wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper and aluminum.

5. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness between 10-50 nanometers.

6. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness between 10-30 nanometers.

7. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon, saran, acrylamide, polyesters, polyethers, polyurethanes, polystyrenes and block co-polymers thereof.

8. The MIP sensor of claim 1, wherein the MIP layer has a thickness between 100 nanometers and 5 micrometers.

9. A molecularly imprinted polymer sensor system comprising:

a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor having an undoped MIP layer that interfaces with a conductive layer;

a power supply for supplying current to the conductive layer; and

a resistance measurement device.

10. The MIP sensor of claim 9, wherein the conductive layer comprises a layer of metallic nanoparticles having diameters ranging from 2-50 nanometers.

11. The MIP sensor of claim 10, wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper and aluminum.

12. The MIP sensor of claim 9, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness between 10-50 nanometers

13. The MIP sensor of claim 9, wherein the conductive layer has a thickness between 10-30 nanometers.

14. The MIP sensor of claim 9, wherein the MIP layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon, saran, acrylamide, polyesters, polyethers, polyurethanes, polystyrenes and block co-polymers thereof.

15. The MIP sensor of claim 9, wherein the MIP layer has a thickness between 100 nanometers and 5 micrometers.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a reference sensor.

17. A method of detecting a target molecule, comprising:

exposing a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor, having an undoped MIP layer that interfaces with a conductive layer, to an environment to be tested for the presence of the target molecule;

supplying current to the conductive layer of the MIP sensor; and

measuring resistance of the MIP sensor to detect the presence of the target molecule.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising quantifying the resistance to determine a concentration of the target molecule.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

exposing a reference sensor, having a non-imprinted, undoped polymer layer that interfaces with a conductive layer, to the environment to be tested for the target molecule;

supplying current to the conductive layer of the reference sensor;

measuring resistance of the reference sensor; and

comparing the resistance of the reference sensor to the resistance of the MIP sensor.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising quantifying the difference between the resistance of the MIP sensor and the resistance of the reference sensor to determine a concentration of the target molecule.