Biomolecular-sensitive polymers

Use of biological molecules to stimulate a response in materials can be advantageous for biomedical applications for which previously discussed environmental 

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Optical methods are a perfect tool to characterize interaction processes between a sensitive chemical or bio polymer layer and analytes1. Time-resolved measurements of this interaction process provide kinetic and thermodynamic data. These types of sensors allow the monitoring of production processes, quantification of analytes in mixtures and many applications in the area of diagnostics, biomolecular interaction processes, DNAhybridization studies and evenprotein/protein interactions2,3. 

Accordingly, in Figure 8 sensitive layers can demonstrate either a higher reversibility or a higher selectivity. In combination with these properties, polymers usually show a high reversibility since they have poor selectivity and since they are relatively stable in contrast to biomolecular receptor layers where the selectivity and the sensitivity are high, but where the stability is rather poor as is reversibility. 

Study of these new catalysts is intensive. Small molecular-weight distribution was demonstrated by Petrova (112) and by Baulin et al. (113). In addition, polymer substrates have been used (114-116) in order to increase lifetime and activity. As shown by Suzuki (36), stabilization is caused by inhibition of reduction by polymeric ligands. Karol (117, 118) described the reaction of chromocene with silica to form highly active catalysts sensitive to hydrogen. An unknown role is played by the structure mt—CH2—CH2—mt which is formed with ethylene and reduced forms of titanium (119). For soluble systems, it has been shown that the mt—CH2—CH2—mt structure is formed in a biomolecular reaction with /3-hydrogen transfer (120). It was considered that this slow, but unavoidable, reaction is the reason for changes in activity during reaction and that the only way to avoid it is to prevent bimolecular reaction of two alkylated species. 

Because quartz crystal microbalances are compact and sensitive, a large literature has developed on their use as sensors of both chemical and biomolecular reactions and processes at surfaces. A current review of this literature, with 176 references, is by Marx [44]. To quote from the abstract of this review The technique possesses a wide detection range. At the low mass end, it can detect monolayer surface coverage by small molecules or polymer films. At the upper end, it is capable of detecting. ..complex arrays of biopolymers and biomacromolecules, even whole cells. Another important and unique feature of the technique is the ability to... 

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