(384d) Real-Time Thickness Monitoring of Electropolymerized Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

Molecularly imprinted polymer-based biosensors are synthetic alternatives to traditional enzyme and antibody-based sensing platforms. Electropolymerization, guided by cyclic voltammetry, is an easily controllable method for directly fabricating MIPs onto transducer surfaces, streamlining sensor design. However, the optimization of MIPs often relies on trial-and-error approaches, which lack fundamental understanding and increased experimental optimization time. This study investigates electropolymerization to achieve thickness-controlled MIP design. Leveraging insights from non-imprinted polymers, the impact of electropolymerization cycles on polymer thickness is explored. Polymer thickness is meticulously controlled and characterized using quartz crystal microbalance coupled with electrochemical measurements, aiming to aid in MIP design for enhanced biosensor performance.