Abstract: Molecularly imprinted sol-gels films were prepared for use as selective binding matrices for trinitrotoluene (TNT). Imprinting is accomplished using a template molecule of similar chemical structure to TNT covalently linked to the siloxane backbone through a labile bond. The imprinted sol-gel material was deposited as a film onto germanium attenuated total reflectance (ATR) crystals to detect TNT binding by infrared spectrometry. After chemical treatment steps the imprinted sol-gel films and non-imprinted controls were exposed to TNT solutions. Binding was tested using FT-ATR-IR, measuring the appearance of the peaks due to nitro groups at 1640 cm-1, 1280 cm-1, and 870 cm-1. Results show that molecular imprinting leads to selective binding of TNT.
Template and target information: 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, TNT