A benzene selective electrode

An innovative method for benzene detection has been created. Using polymer assisted molecular recognition an electrode sensitive to benzene has been developed. A functionalized form of thiophene (3-thiophenemethanol) is covalently attached to a template molecule (isophthaloyl dichloride), an analogue of benzene. The monomer-template complex (bis(thiene-3-ylmethyl) isophthalate) is immobilized onto a platinum electrode by polymerizing onto a bithiophene plated electrode via galvanometric solution polymerization. The template molecule is then removed by subjecting the electrode to an aqueous solution of NaOH at approximately pH 10 for 2-3 minutes. This removal opens a "binding site" for benzene. Reversible cyclic voltammetric waves show that benzene does interact with the "binding sites" when compared to pure thiophene and bare platinum.