ABSTRACT
MIPs can also be formed in fi lm formats [25], however, the traditional formulations for MIPs are o en too brittle to make them practical for making fi lms. ere are some reports of composite polymer membranes that integrate the MIP polymer within the pores or as a coating on a stable membrane support [26,27]. In some instances, nontraditional MIP formulations have been used to directly create the membrane material [28]. Surface-imprinted polymer phases are of interest, particularly for large molecules, such as proteins, that cannot be imprinted using traditional bulk polymerization formats [29]. is is due to the fact that molecules with molecular weights larger than 1000 g/mol will remain trapped in the MIP matrix and cannot be removed. us, MIP binding sites formed on or near a surface can allow access to large molecules, thereby improving the mass transfer kinetics and ultimate recognition of the template molecule. Both thin-fi lm formatted MIPs and surface-imprinted materials are o en employed for sensor development toward large biomolecules [30].
