Chapter 8
Vibrational Spectroscopy in Analysis
of Stimuli-Responsive Polymer–Water
Systems
Marcin Kozanecki, Marcin Pastorczak and Krzysztof Halagan
Abstract Over the last years, a rapid development in the material science, which is
an answer to an increasing demand for functional, smart systems, has taken place.
The recent progress in design, synthesis and characterization of stimuli-responsive
polymer systems (SRPS) fits in this trend very well. However, extensive experiments, simulations as well as theoretical works are still conducted to deepen the
knowledge about these systems, their complexity and diversity result in still
insufficient understanding of some crucial phenomena. One of them is intermolecular interactions which change during swelling/deswelling processes, phase
transitions (commonly leading to the phase separation) and loading or a release of
various additives. Since the vibrational spectroscopy is considered to be the most
powerful tool to study molecular interactions, this chapter presents various aspects
related to the usage of vibrational spectroscopy in the field of SRPS.
8.1 Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Systems
Stimuli-responsive polymer systems are able to change dramatically and abruptly
physicochemical properties under the influence of a single specific stimulus or a set
of stimuli. Stimuli are commonly classified into three groups: physical, chemical
The authors would like to dedicate this chapter to Prof. Jacek Ulanski from the Department of
Molecular Physics, Lodz University of Technology—our teacher and mentor, who laid
foundations of our knowledge, and believed (and still believes) in our progress and
self-development.
M. Kozanecki (&) Á K. Halagan
Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Physics, Lodz University
of Technology, 116 Zeromskiego Str., 90-924 Lodz, Poland
e-mail: marcin.kozanecki@p.lodz.pl
M. Pastorczak
Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences,
44/52 Kasprzaka Str., 01-244 Warsaw, Poland
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
A. Koleżyński and M. Król (eds.), Molecular Spectroscopy—Experiment
and Theory, Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry
and Physics 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01355-4_8
223
Vibrational Spectroscopy in Analysis
of Stimuli-Responsive Polymer–Water
Systems
Marcin Kozanecki, Marcin Pastorczak and Krzysztof Halagan
Abstract Over the last years, a rapid development in the material science, which is
an answer to an increasing demand for functional, smart systems, has taken place.
The recent progress in design, synthesis and characterization of stimuli-responsive
polymer systems (SRPS) fits in this trend very well. However, extensive experiments, simulations as well as theoretical works are still conducted to deepen the
knowledge about these systems, their complexity and diversity result in still
insufficient understanding of some crucial phenomena. One of them is intermolecular interactions which change during swelling/deswelling processes, phase
transitions (commonly leading to the phase separation) and loading or a release of
various additives. Since the vibrational spectroscopy is considered to be the most
powerful tool to study molecular interactions, this chapter presents various aspects
related to the usage of vibrational spectroscopy in the field of SRPS.
8.1 Stimuli-Responsive Polymer Systems
Stimuli-responsive polymer systems are able to change dramatically and abruptly
physicochemical properties under the influence of a single specific stimulus or a set
of stimuli. Stimuli are commonly classified into three groups: physical, chemical
The authors would like to dedicate this chapter to Prof. Jacek Ulanski from the Department of
Molecular Physics, Lodz University of Technology—our teacher and mentor, who laid
foundations of our knowledge, and believed (and still believes) in our progress and
self-development.
M. Kozanecki (&) Á K. Halagan
Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Physics, Lodz University
of Technology, 116 Zeromskiego Str., 90-924 Lodz, Poland
e-mail: marcin.kozanecki@p.lodz.pl
M. Pastorczak
Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences,
44/52 Kasprzaka Str., 01-244 Warsaw, Poland
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
A. Koleżyński and M. Król (eds.), Molecular Spectroscopy—Experiment
and Theory, Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry
and Physics 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01355-4_8
223