Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Combination of Molecular Imprinting
and Nanotechnology: Beginning
of a New Horizon
Rashmi Madhuri*
,1
, Ekta Roy
1
, Kritika Gupta
1
and Prashant K. Sharma*
,2
1
Department of Applied Chemistry, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India
2
Department of Applied Physics, Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India
Abstract
Molecular imprinting technology provides a distinctive prospect for the creation
of three-dimensional cavities, which mimic biological recognition. Over the last
decade, a substantial ef ort has been devoted, from the micro- to nanoscale, to
developing a variety of polymeric formats that are compatible with molecular
imprinting technology with the aim of bringing forth a variety of novel synthetic
receptors. h is advancement of ers considerable advantages, such as greater sur-
face-to-volume ratio, accessibility to the maximum number of recognition sites,
lower dif usion times to facilitate greater uptake and release of the template and
overall improved ei ciency. In addition to these, there are also benei ts related to
the distinct dif erences in properties (optical, electrical, mechanical, etc.) demon-
strated by nanomaterials when compared with their macroscopic counterparts. In
response to this, a new generation of molecularly imprinted synthetic receptors
has arisen over the past decade that display physical properties, which are ot en
closer to those demonstrated by enzymes and antibodies, such as physical size,
solubility, l exibility and recognition site accessibility. In this chapter, we will focus
on the recent developments in the i eld of crat ing recognition sites on nanostruc-
tured materials and/or designing imprinted materials at nanoscale and their con-
sequences for the common man.
Keywords:
Molecularly imprinted polymer, nanotechnology, silica nanoparticles,
core-shell nanoparticle, quantum dots, nanobeads, nanowires/i bers, carbon
nanotubes (CNTs), TiO
2
nanotubes, nanocomposite materials, thin i lm imprint-
ing, nanosphere, imprinted nanogel, nanoimprint lithography
