ABSTRACT
Generally, such conformational changes directly induce changes in solubility, e.g., from insoluble to soluble or vice versa. When polymers are cross-linked chemically, they exhibit volume changes dependent on temperature that may be accompanied by swelling or collapsing of the polymer gels. These drastic macroscopic changes in thermosensitive materials are attributed to cooperative associations among the repeating units in the exible polymer chains and prompted the development of intelligent or smart materials triggered by various stimuli.
