Synthesis and analytical applications of molecularly imprinted polymers on the surface of carbon nanotubes: a review

This review (with 142 references) summarize the state of the art in molecularly imprinting technology as applied to the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which result in so-called CNTs@MIPs. These nanomaterials offer a remedy to the flaws of traditional MIPs, such as poor site accessibility for templates, slow mass transfer and template leakage. They also are flexible in that different materials can be integrated with CNTs. Given the advantages of using CNT@MIPs, this technology has experienced rapid expansion, not the least because CNT@MIPs can be produced at low cost and by a variety of synthetic approaches. We summarize methods of, and recent advances in the synthesis of CNT@MIPs, and then highlight some representative applications. We also comment on their potential future developments and research directions.