Molecular recognition mechanisms properties

The transport properties across an MIP membrane are controlled by both a sieving effect due to the membrane pore structure and a selective absorption effect due to the imprinted cavities [199, 200]. Therefore, different selective transport mechanisms across MIP membranes could be distinguished according to the porous structure of the polymeric material. Meso- and microporous imprinted membranes facilitate template transport through the membrane, in that preferential absorption of the template promotes its diffusion, whereas macroporous membranes act rather as membrane absorbers, in which selective template binding causes a diffusion delay. As a consequence, the separation performance depends not only on the efficiency of molecular recognition but also on the membrane morphology, especially on the barrier pore size and the thickness of the membrane. 

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