Publisher's Synopsis
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.
