Smart Hydrogel Materials

Abstract “Smart” hydrogel materials constitute a new and emerging category of multifunctional materials with unique characteristics. These hydrogels are based on hydrophilic polymeric networks integrating bio/chemical recognition elements, which are able to identify specifically a selected biochemical agent. Their mechanism of response, most commonly based on the formation of physical interactions in the bulk of their polymeric network, translates the recognition of the specific analyte into controlled phase transitions of the material. These controlled phase transitions can be utilized in a series of real‐life applications, like in bioanalysis and medical diagnostics for the development of biosensors and high‐throughput analysis systems. In this chapter, we discuss some examples of smart hydrogel materials that are based on synthetic and natural recognition elements, and that are selective for a variety of analytes, including ions, carbohydrates, drugs, and proteins.