Synthesis, performance, and application of molecularly imprinted membranes: A review

Molecularly imprinted membranes (MIMs), produced by the combination of membrane separation technology (MST) and molecular imprinting technologies (MIT), can perform molecular memory and recognition functions on template molecules, and then achieve selective recognition, separation, and detection. They have been studied for over 60 years and a large amount of research has emerged, but they remain a major research focus due to their compatibility with emerging technologies. Recently, MIMs have been widely used in sensor development, chiral separation, solid phase extraction, sewage treatment, food science, biomacromolecules synthesis, drug delivery, monomer component separation from herbal compounds, and more. Furthermore, some researchers have combined MIMs with other devices to give full play to its advantages, such as GC-MS, HPLC-MS, MS, stirring bar, and even smartphone. This review aims to summarize the composition, synthesis, characterization, performance, and mass transfer mechanisms of MIMs, and to discuss their application in various fields. Finally, the current technical issues and emerging trends of MIMs use in traditional Chinese Medicine are briefly evaluated.