"Intelligent" polymers in medicine and biotechnology

Abstract

One can define "intelligent" polymers as those polymers that respond with large property changes to small physical or chemical stimuli. These polymers may be in various forms, such as in solution, on surfaces, or as solids. One may also combine intelligent aqueous polymer systems with biomolecules to yield a large family of polymers that respond intelligently to physical, chemical, or biological stimuli. This article overviews such interesting and versatile polymer systems.