Synthesis of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanowires using a nanoporous alumina template

A convenient imprinting method for the preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted nanowires within the pores of nanoporous alumina membrane is described. The template molecule ( theophylline in this paper) was immobilized on the pore walls of a nanoporous alumina membrane. The nanopores were then filled with a prepolymerization mixture containing the superparamagnetic MnFe2O4 nanocrystallites. After polymerization, the alumina membrane was subsequently removed by chemical dissolution, leaving behind magnetic polymer nanowires that contain theophylline binding sites uniquely residing at the surface and have a saturated magnetization (M-S) of 1.97 emu/g. The resulting magnetic imprinted polymer nanowires were capable of binding theophylline more strongly than the nonimprinted nanowires.