Frustrations in polymer conformation in gels and their minimization through molecular imprinting

We report an experimental realization of a gel system in which frustrations exist and can be minimized, thus meeting two crucial criteria predicted to enable memory of conformations in polymers. The gels consist of a thermose nsitive major monomer component and two minor components. One minor compone nt is positively charged and will form complexes around negatively charged target molecules placed in solution. The complexes can be imprinted into th e gel by then cross-linking the second minor component, which will form cro ss-links additional to those in the major polymer matrix. The complexes are destroyed and reformed upon swelling and reshrinking of the gels, showing that memorization has been achieved.