Patent ID: 7705062

Claim:
A molecularly imprinted material comprising pores or channels having surfaces that include a plurality of molecularly imprinted cavities; wherein the material comprises a polymer made from polymerizing a monomer having the structural formula (OR) 3 Si—B-A-B—Si(OR) 3 ; wherein A is a divalent organic group; wherein each B is an independently selected saturated or unsaturated divalent hydrocarbon group or a covalent bond; wherein each R is an independently selected saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon group; and wherein the material is made by a method comprising: combining a solvent, the monomer, and a surfactant coupled to an imprint group; wherein the imprint group is decylaminetrinitrobenzene; wherein molecules of the surfactant self-assemble to form at least one supramolecular structure having a surface and wherein the imprint groups are exposed on the surface; and wherein the supramolecular structure serves as a template for the organizing of molecules of the monomer along the surface of the supramolecular structure and around the exposed imprint groups; polymerizing the monomer to form a solid structure having a surface topography complementary to the surface topography of the supramolecular structure and having indentations complementary to the shape of the exposed imprint groups; and removing the supramolecular structure from the solid structure.