Stimuli-responsive microgel-based etalons for optical sensing

Abstract

Responsive polymer-based materials (or smart materials) have found numerous uses over the years due to their ease of synthesis and various responsivities/functionalities. Of them, stimuli-responsive hydrogel particles (microgels) have generated a lot of interest, and have been used for a number of applications, most importantly for this submission is their use as components of photonic materials. In this review, we highlight a few key examples of the use of stimuli-responsive materials for sensing applications, with a particular focus on our work with microgel-based etalons.