US 12,269,931 B2
Polymer based sensors for detecting agricultural analytes and methods of making same
Jie Xu, Atlanta, GA (US); and Douglas Britton, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/536,986.
Application 18/536,986 is a division of application No. 17/124,709, filed on Dec. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,879,045.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/948,888, filed on Dec. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0124673 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. C08J 9/14 (2006.01); G01N 21/77 (2006.01)
CPC C08J 9/142 (2013.01) [G01N 21/7703 (2013.01); C08J 2203/12 (2013.01); C08J 2383/04 (2013.01); G01N 2021/7709 (2013.01); G01N 2600/00 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of preparing a molecularly imprinted polymer in the form of a xerogel film for detecting one or more agricultural analytes, the method comprising:
preparing a mixture of precursors comprising:
a crosslinking organosilane;
a functional organosilane;
water; and
an acid or a base;
dissolving one or more agricultural analytes in one or more porogens to form an agricultural analyte solution;
mixing the mixture of precursors and the agricultural analyte solution with a cross-linker and, optionally, a catalyst until a sol forms;
coating the sol on a pre-cleaned sensor to form a coated sol;
drying the coated sol to transform the coated sol into a xerogel film; and
flowing a porogen over the xerogel film to remove the one or more agricultural analytes thereby forming a molecularly imprinted polymer in the form of a xerogel film.