Smart and Functional Polymers

Section Smart and Functional Polymers under Polymers is a platform to disseminate original ideas and concepts and to summarize the latest progress in the studies on smart and functional polymers. Smart polymers are synthetic polymers designed to mimic biopolymers with biological intelligence. The main characteristic of these polymers is their special functions to respond to changes in their environment. Smart polymers are highly attractive for applications in the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, biosensors, tissue engineering and medical devices. In addition, they are also used for textile applications, packaging, environmental protection, and so on. Functional properties of polymers include the performance of separation, electronic conductance, photo- and electro-luminescence, energy storage and conversion, data storage, and so on. Functional polymers can be applied in the fields such as separation process, energy storage and conversion, data record and storage, and so on. Topics in this section include but are not limited to:

• smart packaging;
• shape memory;
• self-healing;
• hydrogels;
• tissue engineering;
• stimuli-responsive polymer;
• inorganic polymers such as polysilane, Halogenated polysilane, and so on;
• smart polymers for textile applications;
• smart polymers for optical data storage;
• photo-responsive polymers;
• temperature-responsive polymers;
• pH-responsive polymers;
• magnetically responsive polymer gels and elastomers;
• enzyme-responsive polymers;
• smart materials;
• programmable matter;
• biosensors;
• sensors;
• actuators;
• controlled release;
• polymer membrane;
• polyelectrolyte;
• photoluminescence;
• electroluminescence;
• photo-electric conversion;
• photovoltaic performance;
• data record and storage;
• energy storage and conversion.