A review on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for electrochemical sensor development

Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) technology has been studied extensively for multiple applications including analyte detection and chemical separation in the field of medical, pharmaceutical, food safety, and environment. Electrochemical sensors were benefitted from MIPs technology due to their chemical and physical robustness, high sensitivity, selectivity and stability, simple fabrication process, and low-cost of production. The incorporation of MIPs has allowed the development of sensors without biological elements. However, the optimization of the imprinted products requires optimal synergistic effect of multiple factors including materials selection and synthesis techniques. This optimization will form specific recognition cavities for template molecules in the polymeric matrix. This manuscript presents a summary of various MIPs synthesis techniques and performance analysis based on recent studies. The challenges faced in MIPs technology were also discussed to help future researchers in improving technology and boosting commercialization potential against the conventional electrochemical sensor.