Photoresponsive Smart Hydrogels and Their Versatile Applications: A Review

Abstract

Stimuli responsive hydrogels are emerging as smart materials due to their tunable chemical and physical properties in response to various stimuli like pH, temperature, chemicals, pressure, electrical or light. Photoresponsive hydrogels are more attractive for versatile applications as their properties can be manipulated via contact free fine tuning of wavelength and intensity of light. If designed properly photoresponsive hydrogels could also have inherent biocompatibility. Their smart responsiveness along with biocompatibility have made them suitable for applications in versatile fields starting from drug delivery, cell-culture to surface modification and soft-robotics. In this review article, basic mechanisms responsible for photo-responsiveness in hydrogels along with their potential applications are discussed.