Electropolymerised Polypyrroles as Active Layers for Molecularly Imprinted Sensors: Fabrication and Applications

Abstract

Conjugated polymers are widely used in the development of sensors, but even though they are sensitive and robust, they typically show limited selectivity, being cross-sensitive to many substances. In turn, molecular imprinting is a method involving modification of the microstructure of the surface to incorporate cavities, whose shape matches that of the “template”—the analyte to be detected, resulting in high selectivity. The primary goal of this review is to report on and briefly explain the most relevant recent developments related to sensors utilising molecularly imprinted polypyrrole layers and their applications, particularly regarding the detection of bioactive substances. The key approaches to depositing such layers and the most relevant types of analytes are highlighted, and the various trends in the development of this type of sensors are explored.