Smart polymers are materials that change properties in response to environmental stimuli like temperature, pH levels, or magnetic fields. Some examples include piezoelectric materials that produce electricity with stress or change shape with electric current, thermoresponsive polymers that alter shape based on temperature, and shape memory alloys that change shape with magnetic fields and return to original shape with heat. These smart polymers have applications as biomaterials in drug delivery, cancer therapy, medical devices, and more.

1. Smart Polymers
future as biomaterials
• Polymer that change in
response to environmental
changes are called smart
polymers
• Piezoelectric Materials
• Thermoresponsive
Materials
• Shape Memory Alloys
• Polychromic,
Chromogenic or
Halochromic Materials

2. Piezoelectric Materials
• The piezoelectric effect is
generally thought to act as
a biological force sensor.
• Piezoelectric materials
either produce a voltage
when stressed or alter
shape under the influence
of an electric charge.
• Piezoelectric materials are
used in electromechanical
devices.

3. Thermoresponsive Materials
• Change shape under influence
of temperature
• materials alter their shape
under the influence of the
ambient temperature
• Used in cancer therapy to
identify tumours.
• Used in drug delivery and
killing of tumour by
MNP(MICROGEL
NANOPARTICLES)

4. Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys
• Changes in shape due to change
in magnetic field
• Regains original shape when
heat is applied
• Mainly used to reconstruct
broken bones
• Aircraft ,pipelines ,magic shows
(shape shifting) _, robots
,surgery , medicine etc.,

5. Polychromic, Chromogenic or
Halochromic Materials
• Change color based on
external stimuli .i.e., pH,
temp. light ,electricity.
• Light-photochromic ,
• Temp-thermochromic
• pH-halochromic

6. Applications
• Specifically targeted drug
delivery in surgery by
forming a micelle with
hydrophobic and
hydrophilic substances.
• Plasters (band aids) that
lose their stickiness when
you want to take them off
so don’t rip your skin off.

7. • Biodegradable plastic bags.
• non-stick chewing gum (Rev 7)
• Even biological uses like detecting blood
glucose
• Levels triggering the release of insulin.
• Smart polymers are used to change colour in
light widely used in sunglasses and computers

8. • Used as screen in touch phones.
• Used as PZT in heart to generate energy
• Used to prepare a shirt
• Piezo electric products materials for
actuator, oscillator and sputtering target.
• Used in seed coatings

9. • Used in breakage bones