Smart Polymers: Basics and Applications

Smart materials have been produced by conceiving of the idea of materials/systems having a fourth dimension. To match advances in instrumentation, efforts are being made to develop materials, resulting in smart materials with enhanced performance. In nature, the action of stimuli-responsive materials is reversible; this idea has attracted interest for its potential research and industrial applications. The challenge remains how to couple these applications with environmental consciousness.

This book presents the basics of smart polymers and describes their current and future applications. This book is different from other books on the subject in that it explores polymer materials’ smart behavior in more depth, covering vibration damping, thermal and electrochemical energy, sensing at trace level, biotechnology, and so on. The 14 chapters in this book cover diverse areas, including:

• Photoresponsive polymers that can be manipulated using a specific frequency of light

• Designing polymers for vibration damping

• Smart manipulations of hydrophobic and super-hydrophobic polymers

• Biopolymers, including hydrogels for smart application, drug delivery, and other uses

• Smart paints

• Self-healing and shape memory polymers

• Holography for data storage

• Phase change polymers and solid polymer electrolytes for thermal and electrochemical energy

• Molecular imprinting polymers for sub-ppm sensing and removal of unwanted materials

• Smart textiles, and the concept of advanced textiles

This book will be of particular interest to researchers, postgraduates, and industry experts. It offers an extensive introduction to the basics of smart polymers and their possible applications.