Writing droplets of molecularly imprinted polymers by nano fountain pen and detecting their molecular interactions by surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) droplets were printed using a pipet or a nano fountain pen on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active surfaces, to directly monitor the uptake and release of a template molecule, the beta-blocking drug propranolol, by SERS. The monitored SERS bands can be related to the template, allowing for its detection but also identification in the MIP. This is an advantage if the technique is to be used during the development phase of MIPs as microstructures, but equally for the readout of MIP-based biochips.