Temperature-responsive Polymers
Temperature-responsive Polymers - Related Videos
07:14
In situ Photo-rheology Monitors Viscoelastic Changes in Photo-responsive Polymer Networks
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Cited by 1 •
2025
We describe a procedure used to collect in situ photo-rheology measurements of polymeric materials undergoing photo-responsive liquid-to-solid transitions.
08:12
Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
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2022
Here, we describe protocols for the preparation of trans-cyclobutane fused cyclooctenes (tCBCO), their polymerization to prepare depolymerizable olefinic polymers, and the depolymerization of these polymers under mild conditions. Additionally, protocols for the preparation of depolymerizable networks and compression molding of rigid linear plastics based on this system are described.
07:46
Temperature Response of Soil Organic Matter Decomposition Rates: Construction and Applications of a Temperature Gradient Block
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2026
We introduce a temperature gradient block and detail its construction and utilization. The block provides 22 discrete temperatures, linearly distributed between a user-defined range from 0 to 90 °C. Data collected from this setup enables testing and developing new theories on the temperature response of soil organic matter decomposition rates.
08:44
Tension Tests of Polymers
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2023
Source: Roberto Leon, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Polymeric materials are widely used in civil structures, with uses ranging from very soft sealants to more rigid pipes in water and wastewater systems. The most basic definition of a polymer is a molecular structure with repeating subunits. The term polymer comes from Greek, where "poly" means many, and "-mer" means basic unit. Monomers, or single mers, are the specific repeating units. With...
13:57
Preparation and Friction Force Microscopy Measurements of Immiscible, Opposing Polymer Brushes
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Cited by 4 •
2014
The methodology to perform friction force microscopy experiments for contacting brushes is presented: Two polymer brushes that are grafted from (a) substrates and (b) colloidal probes are slid to show that, by using two contacting immiscible brush systems, friction in sliding contacts is reduced compared to miscible brush systems.
FAQs
At temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature, polymer chains remain hydrated and more compatible with surrounding water. As the temperature reaches the transition point, the chains lose water, collapse, and alter the material’s solubility. Because this change can be reversible, cooling may restore the hydrated state, allowing temperature to regulate polymer behavior repeatedly.
An LCST response is associated with chain dehydration and collapse as temperature increases through a defined transition. In contrast, polymers with an upper critical solution temperature respond at the opposite end of the temperature range. This distinction matters when selecting a material, because the direction of the temperature-triggered change determines how a biomedical system responds to heating or cooling.
The transition temperature determines when the polymer changes its physical or chemical behavior, so it can be selected to support a targeted biomedical use. Reversibility allows the material to return toward its previous state after the temperature changes. Together, these properties support localized control and repeated temperature-dependent regulation rather than a single irreversible response.
In an injectable delivery system, a temperature-dependent phase transition can help control how the polymer behaves after administration. Changes in hydration, chain conformation, and solubility may regulate when or where a therapeutic payload is released. This approach is relevant to clinical research because localized, thermally triggered delivery may improve dosing control and reduce repeated procedures.
Temperature-responsive materials can provide scaffolds whose physical behavior changes under controlled thermal conditions. Their reversible transitions and tunable response temperatures may help researchers adjust scaffold behavior for cell or tissue engineering applications. The clinical relevance lies in designing materials that can be handled or positioned using temperature-dependent changes while supporting broader tissue-focused research.
They are particularly relevant when a treatment benefits from a material that can be introduced with limited intervention and then regulated by temperature. A reversible phase transition may help localize treatment or trigger release after placement. In clinical research, this creates opportunities to coordinate administration, thermal control, and dosing while potentially limiting the need for repeated procedures.