Crosstalk between responsivities to various stimuli in multiresponsive polymers: change in polymer chain and external environment polarity as the key factor

Multiresponsive polymers offer a wealth of possibilities to design switchable materials which respond to more than one stimulus. We describe first the response of polymers to a single external stimulus, namely to temperature, light, pH value, redox changes, and low molecular weight species, and discuss the influence of these stimuli on the polymer chain polarity. Then, we review multiresponsive homopolymers and statistical and block co-polymers. Finally, we discuss the similarity of multiresponsive synthetic polymers to biopolymers. As a conclusion, multiresponsiveness opens up a broad area for combining different properties in one system, enabling numerous possible applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].