Preparation and evaluation of vanillin molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer precipitation polymerization

Novel vanillin molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres were synthesized by the method of the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) precipitation polymerization. In the study, the imprinted polymer was synthesized by using dibenzyltrithiocarbonate (DBTTC) and vanillin as the chain transfer agent and template respectively. Ultraviolet spectrum analysis was used to determine methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer. The conditions which influence the preparation of the molecularly imprinted polymer prepared by RAFT (RAFT-MIP) such as solvent, crosslinker, and the ratio of monomer, AIBN and DBTTC were systematically investigated. Scanning election microscopy, adsorption experiment and Scatchard analysis were used to evaluate the RAFT-MIP. The morphology and adsorption performance of RAFT-MIP were improved significantly in comparison with molecularly imprinted polymers synthesized by traditional precipitation polymerization (TR-MIP).