2026· International journal of research and scientific innovation· Vol 13, pp. 4846-4867· 0 citations
TL;DR
This article provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in smart functional polymers, with a focus on their responses to physical, chemical, and biological stimuli.
Abstract
Living systems modify their structure and operation in response to environmental changes to adapt to the changes in nature. Inspired by nature, scientists are working to develop materials that, like living things, can adapt their behaviour to different conditions to survive. Natural biological systems, which employ mechanisms of sensing, reacting, and learning, serve as inspiration for intelligent materials. Smart polymers, sometimes referred to as stimulus-responsive materials, are a class of materials that can reversibly change their characteristics in response to particular stimuli. The flexibility and reactivity of smart polymers confer upon them remarkable properties. They can adapt their molecular composition and function in response to environmental changes or external stimuli. These substances are similar to living systems in that they adjust to their environment. The distinctive and highly desirable features of smart polymers make them appealing for a variety of medical applications. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in smart functional polymers, with a focus on their responses to physical, chemical, and biological stimuli. Additionally, it highlights some of the most advanced medical applications of these Review Article polymers, demonstrating their potential as materials that adapt to their surroundings.
Recent technological advancements have been strongly driven by the availability of suitable functional materials, particularly polymers and their composites. In parallel, increasing global awareness of human health and environmental sustainability has accelerated the development of advanced polymeric systems, including smart polymers. Smart polymers are a class of materials capable of undergoing significant and reversible physicochemical changes in response to external stimuli, making them highly attractive for addressing complex biomedical challenges. Consequently, these materials have found diverse and specialized applications across biomedicine and related fields. The integration of smart materials as biomaterials has introduced a new paradigm characterized by adaptive, living, and self-regulating systems. These materials are designed to interact dynamically with biological environments and evolve alongside physiological processes over time. Smart polymer-based systems often incorporate dynamic feedback mechanisms, such as mechanoresponsive and biochemically responsive networks, enabling real-time adaptation to change within tissue microenvironments. To further enhance the functional potential of smart polymers, additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a transformative fabrication approach. AM enables the production of complex, patient-specific geometries while minimizing material waste, thereby supporting sustainable and precision-driven biomedical manufacturing. However, despite these advantages, several challenges remain, including limitations in manufacturability, reproducibility during AM processing, and uncertainties related to long-term in vivo degradation and lifecycle performance. This review therefore examines current advances in the application of additive manufacturing technologies, particularly in 3D and 4D printing of smart polymers and the application of 5D and 6D printing. It further evaluates how AM processing influences smart polymer performance and functionality in biomedical applications, while also discussing existing challenges and outlining future research directions toward clinical translation.
I. Oladele, Adekunle Mathew Ajayi, Queen Oluwatoyin Adewumi et al.· Discover Mechanical Engineer...· 0 citations
The study highlights the promising applications of smart polymers in precision medicine, allowing for targeted therapeutic interventions that are more effective and less harmful to the body.
Varleen Kaur, Dr. Ashish Narain Dubey· Naveen International Journal...· 0 citations
Polymer chemistry has evolved from the development of conventional plastics to the design of advanced functional materials with tailored properties and multifunctional applications. This review presents an integrated overview of recent advances in polymer chemistry, emphasizing the role of molecular architecture, chemical functionalization, and stimuli-responsive behaviour in the development of smart polymer systems. Particular attention is given to the application of these materials in biomedical fields, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, bio adhesive systems, and implantable devices, where polymers enable controlled therapeutic performance and improved biocompatibility. In parallel, polymer-based technologies are increasingly contributing to environmental sustainability through applications in water purification, pollutant adsorption, biodegradable plastics, and circular material systems. The review highlights the structure–property–application relationships that connect biomedical and environmental polymer technologies and discusses the importance of safety, toxicity assessment, and regulatory considerations for their practical implementation. Emerging research directions such as artificial intelligence–assisted polymer design, green polymer chemistry, renewable monomers, and personalized polymer systems are also explored. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive perspective on how modern polymer chemistry is enabling the development of high-performance, sustainable, and application-driven materials for future biomedical and environmental challenges.
Unknown authors· Oriental Journal of Chemistr...· 0 citations
Overall, multi-stimulus responsive polymer systems exhibit a better controlled release profile and thus higher therapeutic potential for the treatment of cancer, diabetes and inflammatory diseases and thus, are promising to be translated into clinical applications.
Varleen Kaur, Dr. Ashish Narain Dubey· VED International Journal of...· 0 citations
Conventional static biomaterials possess relatively stable physicochemical properties after fabrication or implantation, which limits their ability to adapt to dynamically changing physiological microenvironments. In contrast, dynamic biomaterials can undergo controllable or programmable changes to regulate their physicochemical properties in response to external or endogenous stimuli, thereby providing improved spatiotemporal adaptability for biomedical applications. In this review, dynamic biomaterials are systematically discussed from a physical‐cue‐centered perspective, focusing on stimulus‐responsive changes in stiffness, surface morphology, and shape programmability rather than classification solely by stimulus type or material composition. The responsive mechanisms, preparation strategies, and representative stimuli, including light, temperature, pH, ions, and magnetic fields, are summarized and critically analyzed. Recent biomedical applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, minimally invasive therapy, and intelligent biomedical devices are further highlighted. Finally, current challenges involving long‐term biosafety, mechanical durability, manufacturability, and clinical translation are discussed, together with future perspectives for multifunctional, multi‐stimuli‐responsive, and spatiotemporally programmable dynamic biomaterials.
An overview of recent advances in stimuli-responsive hydrogels is provided and current challenges related to scalability, biocompatibility, regulatory approval, and commercialization are discussed, along with future perspectives on translating smart and self-healing hydrogel technologies into practical applications in food, biomedical, and tissue engineering.
Brijitta Joseph, A. Bharati, D. Saha· Frontiers in Soft Matter· 0 citations
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