Sensory Polymers: From their Design to Practical Applications discusses recent developments in the field of sensory polymers and showcases the potential applications of these materials in food control and security, civil security, the biomedical field, environmental control and remediation, industrial control of chemicals, and more. Written by worldwide experts in the field, chapters provide in-depth knowledge on several different polymer sensors and their response to different stimuli, which makes this book a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students in polymer science, materials science, and chemistry, as well as those interested on sensing applications and chemical sensory systems, including industry R&D. - Discusses the foundation of sensory polymers, from material design to development and production - Explores state-of-the-art applications in environmental control, biomedicine, sensing, the chemical industry, and food science - Provides perspectives and future applications of polymer chemosensors

Smart polymers react sharply to small changes in physical or chemical conditions and present an intelligent response to chemical stimuli (i.e., chemical species -including biomolecules-, pH, solvents, redox, stimuli that trigger controlled depolymerization) and physical stimuli (i.e., temperature, light, mechanical stress and electrical stimuli). For these reasons, the interest in smart polymers has recently increased exponentially, especially in biological stimuli (i.e., application of polymer-based biosensors, drug delivery, tissue engineering, precision medicine and cell therapy). This book offers a unique opportunity to review the physical-chemical fundamentals of smart polymers, and their behaviour. It also provides an excellent review of the main applications of smart polymers.

"Amino Acids, Electrochemical Reactions, Sensory Interactions, and Molecular Biology: Exploring Life’s Building Blocks" offers a comprehensive journey into the foundational elements of life, examining the intricate relationships between amino acids, electrochemical processes, and sensory systems. Written by Ron Legarski, this book explores how the molecular structures that make up our bodies interact with environmental factors to shape our health, perception, and biological functions. This detailed work provides a clear analysis of how amino acids serve as the building blocks of proteins, how electrochemical reactions power cellular functions, and how these processes are vital for sensory systems like vision, hearing, taste, and touch. By diving into the molecular biology behind these essential functions, Legarski explains the fundamental mechanisms that allow us to interact with the world around us. The book also delves into how environmental influences—such as toxins, pollutants, and climate factors—affect molecular and sensory systems, impacting everything from our neurological health to our immune responses. Through its exploration of gene expression, cellular communication, and electrochemical balance, this book connects the molecular basis of life to larger themes of human interaction and environmental adaptation. Accessible to both scientific and general audiences, "Amino Acids, Electrochemical Reactions, Sensory Interactions, and Molecular Biology" offers a valuable resource for students, researchers, and health professionals looking to deepen their understanding of molecular biology and its practical applications. Through clear explanations and expert insights, Ron Legarski sheds light on the unseen processes that drive life itself, from the micro to the macro level. This work serves as a crucial guide for understanding how the body’s internal molecular world interacts with external conditions, presenting a detailed exploration of life’s building blocks and how they influence everything from cellular function to sensory perception.

Smart Polymers and Their Applications, Second Edition presents an up-to-date resource of information on the synthesis and properties of different types of smart polymers, including temperature, pH, electro, magnetic and photo-responsive polymers, amongst others. It is an ideal introduction to this field, as well as a review of the latest research in this area. Shape memory polymers, smart polymer hydrogels, and self-healing polymer systems are also explored. In addition, a very strong focus on applications of smart polymers is included for tissue engineering, smart polymer nanocarriers for drug delivery, and the use of smart polymers in medical devices. Additionally, the book covers the use of smart polymers for textile applications, packaging, energy storage, optical data storage, environmental protection, and more. This book is an ideal, technical resource for chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, mechanical engineers and other professionals in a range of industries. - Includes a significant number of new chapters on smart polymer materials development, as well as new applications development in energy storage, sensors and devices, and environmental protection - Provides a multidisciplinary approach to the development of responsive polymers, approaching the subject by the different types of polymer (e.g. temperature-responsive) and its range of applications

This book is a comprehensive collaboration on intelligent polymers and coatings for industrial applications by worldwide researchers and specialists. The authors cover the basis and fundamental aspects of intelligent polymers and coatings, challenges, and potential mechanisms and properties. They include recent and emerging industrial applications in medical, smart textile design, oil and gas, electronic, aerospace, and automobile industries as well as other applications including microsystems, sensors, and actuators, among others. The authors discuss the potential for future research in these areas for improvement and growth of marketable applications of intelligent polymers and coatings.

This comprehensive volume provides current, state-of-the-art information on specialty polymers that can be used for many advanced applications. The book covers the fundamentals of specialty polymers, synthetic approaches, and chemistries to modify their properties to meet the requirements for special applications, along with current challenges and prospects. Chapters are written by global experts, making this a suitable textbook for students and a one-stop resource for researchers and industry professionals. Key Features: - Presents synthesis, characterization, and applications of specialty polymers for advanced applications. - Provides fundamentals and requirements for polymers to be used in many advanced and emerging areas. - Details novel methods and advanced technologies used in polymer industries. - Covers the state-of-the-art progress on specialty polymers for a range of advanced applications.

Sensors and Sensory Systems for an Electronic Nose reviews the current state of progress in the development of an electronic instrument capable of olfaction. The instrument -- the so-called electronic nose -- has enormous potential for application in such areas as product flavor control and environmental monitoring. The book discusses the essential elements of an electronic nose, such as chemical sensors, signal processing, and pattern recoginiton techniques. It is also one of the first contributions to the new and exciting field of machine olfaction.

This volume contains papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on "Sensors and Sensory Systems for Advanced Robots", which was held in Maratea, Italy, during the week Apri I 28 - May 3, 1986. Participants in the ARW, who came from eleven NATO and two non-NATO countries, represented an i nternat i ona I assortment of d i st i ngu i shed research centers in industry, government and academia. Purpose of the Workshop was to rev i ew the state of the art of sensing for advanced robots, to discuss basic concepts and new ideas on the use of sensors for robot control and to provide recommendations for future research in this area, There IS an almost unanimous consensus among invest i gators in the fie I d of robot i cs that the add i t i on of sensory capabi I ities represents the "natural" evolution of present industrial robots, as wei I as the necessary premise to the development of advanced robots for nonindustrial app I i cat ions. However, a number of conceptua I and techn i ca I problems sti I I challenge the practical implementation and widespread appl ication of sensor-based robot control techn i ques. Cruc i a I among those prob I ems is the ava i lab iii ty of adequate sensors.

As demand has increased for new types of equipment that are more suited to the ever-evolving world of industry, demand for both new and traditional types of actuators has soared. From automotive and aeronautical to biomedical and robotics, engineers are constantly developing actuating devices that are adapted to their particular needs in their particular field, and actuators are used in almost every field of engineering that there is. This volume not only lays out the fundamentals of actuators, such as how they operate, the different kinds, and their various applications, but it also informs the engineer or student about the new actuators that are being developed and the state-of-the-art of actuators. Edited and written by highly experienced and well-respected engineers with a deep understanding of their subject, there is no other volume on actuators that is more current or comprehensive. Whether as a guide for the latest innovations in actuators, a refresher reference work for the veteran engineer, or an introductory text for the engineering student, this is a must-have for any engineer's or university's library. Covering the theory and the practical applications, this breakthrough volume is a "one stop shop" for any engineer or student interested in actuators.

This volume examines the chemistry of natural and synthetic dyes produced for non-textile markets, where much new basic research in color chemistry is now taking place.The first group of chapters covers the design, synthesis, properties and application technology pertaining to dyes for digital printing and photography. The reader will be pleased with the breadth and depth of information presented in each case. Of particular interest is the discussion of strategies for the design of dyes in these categories, with emphasis on enhancing technical properties. In view of certain new developments, the ink-jet chapter includes results from studies pertaining to dyes for textiles.The three chapters comprising Section II of this volume cover the broad subject of dyes for food, drug and cosmetic applications and then provide an in-depth look at dyes for biomedical applications and molecular recognition. The chapter on dyes for molecular recognition places emphasis on applications in the biological sciences, including sensory materials and artificial receptors. While the former two topics have been covered elsewhere in the past, the present chapters are unequalled in scope.Section III provides an in-depth review of the design of laser dyes and dye-based functional materials. In the first of the two chapters, the major principles of laser operation are summarized. This is followed by a discussion of spectroscopic properties, such as activation and deactivation of absorbed light by laser dyes. Approaches to the development of new laser dyes are presented. The second chapter pertains to the synthesis of dicyanopyrazine-based multifunctional dyes. The visible and fluorescence spectra of these dyes in solution and the solid state are correlated with their three-dimensional molecular structures. Molecular stacking behavior and solid state properties of these "multifunctional" dye materials are presented.The final group of chapters pertains to natural dyes and dyes for natural substrates. In recent years, the impression among certain consumers that "natural" is better/safer has generated much interest in the use of natural dyes rather than synthetics. This has led to a few short discussion papers in which the environmental advantages to using natural dyes have been questioned. The initial chapter in this group provides both a historical look at natural dyes and a comprehensive compilation of natural dye structures and their sources. Though natural dyes are of interest as colorants for textiles, selected ones are used primarily in food and cosmetics.Chapter ten provides an update on the author's previous reviews of structure-color-relationships among precursors employed in the coloration of hair. Chemical constitutions characterizing hair dye structures are presented, along with a summary of available precursors and their environmental properties. Similarly, the chapter on leather dyes covers constitutions and nomenclature, in addition to providing interesting perspectives on the origin and use of leather, the dyeing of leather, and key environmental issues.This volume is concluded with another look at colors in nature. In this case, rather than revisiting colors in plant life, an interesting chapter dealing with color in the absence of colorants is presented. Chapter twelve covers basic concepts of color science and illustrates how 3-D assemblies leading to a plethora of colors are handled in nature. It is our hope that this atypical "color chemistry" chapter will invoke ideas that lead to the design of useful colorants.The chapters presented in this volume demonstrate that color chemistry still has much to offer individuals with inquiring minds who are searching for a career path. This work highlights the creativity of today's color chemists and the wide variety of interesting non-textile areas from which a career can be launched.