Goponenko Alexander V, Dzenis Yuris A
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
Polymer (Guildf). 2016 Sep 28;101:415-449. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2016.08.068. Epub 2016 Aug 24.
Due to their unique characteristics such as multifold change of volume in response to minute change in the environment, resemblance of soft biological tissues, ability to operate in wet environments, and chemical tailorability, stimuli responsive gels represent a versatile and very promising class of materials for sensors, muscle-type actuators, biomedical applications, and autonomous intelligent structures. Success of these materials in practical applications largely depends on their ability to fulfill application-specific mechanical requirements. This article provides an overview of recent application-driven development of covalent polymer gels with special emphasis on the relevant mechanical factors and properties. A short account of mechanisms of gel swelling and mechanical characteristics of importance to stimuli-responsive gels is presented. The review highlights major barriers for wider application of these materials and discusses latest advances and potential future directions toward overcoming these barriers, including interpenetrating networks, homogeneous networks, nanocomposites, and nanofilamentary gels.
由于其独特的特性，如对环境微小变化做出体积的多倍变化、类似于柔软生物组织、能够在潮湿环境中运行以及化学可定制性，刺激响应凝胶是一类用途广泛且非常有前景的材料，可用于传感器、肌肉型致动器、生物医学应用和自主智能结构。这些材料在实际应用中的成功很大程度上取决于它们满足特定应用机械要求的能力。本文概述了共价聚合物凝胶最近基于应用驱动的发展，特别强调了相关的机械因素和性能。简要介绍了凝胶溶胀机制以及对刺激响应凝胶重要的机械特性。该综述突出了这些材料更广泛应用的主要障碍，并讨论了克服这些障碍的最新进展和潜在未来方向，包括互穿网络、均相网络、纳米复合材料和纳米丝状凝胶。
