Responsive polymers for analytical applications: a review

Anal Chim Acta. 2013 Jul 30:789:17-32. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2013.05.009. Epub 2013 May 16.

Abstract

Stimuli-responsive polymers are capable of translating changes in their local environment to changes in their chemical and/or physical properties. This ability allows stimuli-responsive polymers to be used for a wide range of applications. In this review, we highlight the analytical applications of stimuli-responsive polymers that have been published over the past few years with a focus on their applications in sensing/biosensing and separations. From this review, we hope to make clear that while the history of using stimuli-responsive polymers for analytical applications is rich, there are still a number of directions to explore and exciting advancements to be made in this flourishing field of research.

Keywords: Analytical applications of stimuli-responsive polymers; Biosensing; Phase transitions; Sensing; Separations; Stimuli-responsive polymers.