Full Citation: Fluorescence Analysis of Thermoresponsive Polymers. A.G. Ryder and C. Morris, Reviews in Fluorescence 2015 ,
Annual Volumes, Vol. 8, pp. 97-126, (2015). ISBN: 978-3-319-24607-9 (Hardcover), 978-3-319-24609-3 (ebook) Springer.
Page 3 of 31
but rather an insight into how various fluorescence methods can be employed for studying the physical
and chemical properties of thermoresponsive polymers in a variety of states and forms.
3 STIMULI-RESPONSIVE POLYMERS.
The design, synthesis, and development of functional polymers that respond to external stimuli is
an area of significant interest [8,15,16,20]. These synthetic polymer systems are often designed to
mimic natural biopolymers, and a variety of functional forms have been developed to meet various
specific biomedical and scientific applications [21]. These polymers are variously described as being
“environment sensitive polymers” [22], “stimuli-responsive polymers” [23], “intelligent polymers”
[24,25], or “smart polymers” [15,26]. “Smart” polymers can be defined as materials that undergo
strong conformational changes in response to small changes in the surrounding environment [15,21].
In many of the smart polymers used for biomedical applications, the sharp, large, reversible nonlinear conformational changes can be attributed to the balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic
groups within the polymer system [8,15,16,23,27-29]. The consequent responses may be observed
as changes in shape, solubility, and/or surface characteristics [21]. “Smart” polymers can be
classified into three types depending on their physical forms (Figure 2): (i) linear free chains in solution
(following the application of an external stimulus the polymer undergoes a reversible collapse), (ii)
covalently cross-linked gels and reversible or physical gels (for which swelling or shrinking behavior
is environmentally triggered), and (iii) chain adsorbed or surface-grafted form (following a change of
the external parameter, the polymer reversibly swells or collapses on a surface) [21].
Figure 2: Classification of the polymers by their physical form: (i) linear free chains in solution (ii) covalently
cross-linked reversible gels (iii) chain adsorbed or surface grafted form. Reproduced from Kumar et al. [21]
with permission. Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Ltd, all rights reserved.
Annual Volumes, Vol. 8, pp. 97-126, (2015). ISBN: 978-3-319-24607-9 (Hardcover), 978-3-319-24609-3 (ebook) Springer.
Page 3 of 31
but rather an insight into how various fluorescence methods can be employed for studying the physical
and chemical properties of thermoresponsive polymers in a variety of states and forms.
3 STIMULI-RESPONSIVE POLYMERS.
The design, synthesis, and development of functional polymers that respond to external stimuli is
an area of significant interest [8,15,16,20]. These synthetic polymer systems are often designed to
mimic natural biopolymers, and a variety of functional forms have been developed to meet various
specific biomedical and scientific applications [21]. These polymers are variously described as being
“environment sensitive polymers” [22], “stimuli-responsive polymers” [23], “intelligent polymers”
[24,25], or “smart polymers” [15,26]. “Smart” polymers can be defined as materials that undergo
strong conformational changes in response to small changes in the surrounding environment [15,21].
In many of the smart polymers used for biomedical applications, the sharp, large, reversible nonlinear conformational changes can be attributed to the balance between hydrophilic and hydrophobic
groups within the polymer system [8,15,16,23,27-29]. The consequent responses may be observed
as changes in shape, solubility, and/or surface characteristics [21]. “Smart” polymers can be
classified into three types depending on their physical forms (Figure 2): (i) linear free chains in solution
(following the application of an external stimulus the polymer undergoes a reversible collapse), (ii)
covalently cross-linked gels and reversible or physical gels (for which swelling or shrinking behavior
is environmentally triggered), and (iii) chain adsorbed or surface-grafted form (following a change of
the external parameter, the polymer reversibly swells or collapses on a surface) [21].
Figure 2: Classification of the polymers by their physical form: (i) linear free chains in solution (ii) covalently
cross-linked reversible gels (iii) chain adsorbed or surface grafted form. Reproduced from Kumar et al. [21]
with permission. Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Ltd, all rights reserved.