Stimuli-Responsive Macromolecules and Polymeric Coatings

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2005

Department

Polymers and High Performance Materials

Abstract

Polymers represent a unique class of materials which are capable of forming architectural arrangements at molecular, nano- and higher levels of organization. While numerous properties made polymers highly attractive materials in many applications, their stimuli-responsive characteristics have been recognized only recently. This chapter provides an overview of a variety of responses of polymers and polymeric films that exhibit pro-active behaviors in response to internal or external stimuli. These "smart" macromolecules offer a number of unique attributes with potential emerging applications in medicine, pharmacology, nanotechnology, biomaterials, or other fields of materials science and materials engineering. The stimuli-responsive characteristics described herein focus on physical and chemical stimuli that result in numerous responses leading to unique behaviors in complex environments.

Publication Title

ACS Symposium Series

Volume

912

First Page

1

Last Page

25

Link to Full Text

Find in your library

Share

COinS