Vanillin is an important aroma compound widely encountered in food products, creating a need for sensitive and selective analytical detection.

Our study presents a Co₃O₄/TiO₂ molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for selective vanillin detection. The Co₃O₄/TiO₂ heterojunction is designed to promote efficient interfacial charge transfer, while a surface-confined molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) provides molecular recognition sites tailored toward vanillin.

The resulting sensing platform combines nanomaterial-enhanced electrochemical response with molecular imprinting, providing a strategy for recognizing vanillin in complex food matrices.

To better understand the sensing mechanism, we combine experimental electrochemical characterization with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The computational insights help clarify the molecular interactions and electronic features contributing to vanillin recognition and electrochemical response.

Overall, the work demonstrates how Co₃O₄/TiO₂ heterojunction nanomaterials and molecularly imprinted polymers can be integrated into advanced electrochemical sensors for selective vanillin analysis.

🎥 Watch the video abstract for a concise visual overview of the sensor design, molecular recognition strategy, electrochemical sensing mechanism and key findings.

Published in Analytical Methods, 2026, 18, 4300–4319.
Read the open-access article (DOI: 10.1039/d6ay00358c) 

Keywords: vanillin detection; electrochemical sensor; Co₃O₄/TiO₂ heterojunction; molecularly imprinted polymer; molecular recognition; nanomaterials; electrochemistry; food analysis; density functional theory; DFT.