Abstract
The highly selective and sensitive detection of a chemical nerve agent analog pinacolyl methylphosphonate (PMP) was demonstrated using an electrochemically molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) polythiophene film onto a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) transducer surface. The fabrication and optimization of the sensor film was monitored by in situ electrochemistry-QCM (EC-QCM) measurements, which determined the change in mass and simultaneous change in redox properties of the polymer film. The film deposition, template loading, and template removal were evidenced by a combination of surface characterization techniques such as the attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The fabricated MIP film demonstrated a limit of detection and a limit of quantification of ∼60 and ∼197 μM, respectively. The linear sensing range is between 125 and 250 μM concentration of PMP. Finally, theoretical modeling (AM1 semiempirical quantum calculations) studies revealed that a stable prepolymerization complex is formed in solution with the existence of H-bonding interactions using the 2:1 monomer-to-template ratio.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 675-685 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 Feb 15 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- electropolymerization
- molecular imprinting
- nerve agent
- quartz crystal microbalance
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Polymers and Plastics
- Organic Chemistry
- Materials Chemistry