Development of novel MIP electrochemical sensors based on polymers prepared by the “grafting-from” approach at conducting substrates- Bando Vigoni 2009 (MIUR (Ateneo Italo-Tedesco)- DAAD) per progetti nel biennio 2010-2011

Molecular Imprinting (MI) represents a powerful tool to prepare selective materials as substitutes to biomolecules in different applications. Nonetheless sensor devices based on this methodology have not yet fully exploited and strategies to successfully integrate the imprinted material with a transducer are constantly proposed. This is mainly due to difficulties in interfacing the MIP and the transducer, slow mass transfer in the so far thick and heterogeneous coatings and incompatibility with fully aqueous matrixes that have hampered the materials prepared using the conventional imprinting techniques. However, using new inventive approaches, both partners of this proposal have recently demonstrated that thin homogenous MIP films of water compatible materials can be prepared exhibiting strongly enhanced mass transfer properties compared to state of the art materials. Moreover a complementary expertise on "grafting-from" (TUDO) and "electrochemically grown polymers" (Uni-Salento) as well as on characterization techniques forms a common platform for a project collaboration. At this aim the main goal of the cooperation between Technische Universität Dortmund (TUDO) and Università del Salento (UniSalento) is the development of molecularly imprinted polymeric electrochemical sensor systems with selective recognition properties towards serotonin, a neurotransmitter of great clinical significance. In particular the "grafting-from" approach (based on surface bound initiators) will be employed in the synthesis of an imprinted polymer (MIP) on conducting substrates. The optimization of MIP and sensor analytical performances will be achieved by an extensive characterization performed by both groups. Generalità e vincitori http://www.ateneoitalotedesco.org/page.asp?pag=1184