Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study offers a thorough overview and introduction to smart materials, emphasising ionic polymers, particularly ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs). These materials have lightweight, adaptability, and low power requirements, which have contributed to their being more well-known for their potential in biomedical devices, soft robotics, and micro/nano systems. This overview highlights significant advancements in fabrication methods, material composition, and performance benefits. It focuses attention on new developments such as enhanced polymer matrices, layered structural designs, and the application of advanced electrode materials. Applications in bio-inspired robotics, artificial muscles, and sensor systems are investigated. The investigation also looks at more recent developments that provide better functionality in IPMCs. Even with major advancements, maintaining stability and reliable performance over a prolonged period remains difficult. More extensive integration into smart systems and affordable production techniques are anticipated to be the main topics of future study. Along with emphasizing current research demands, this review offers a comparative analysis of current fabrication and performance improvement techniques. It aims to provide a framework of reference for upcoming advancements in high-performance smart systems based on IPMC.
Authors: Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Shivam Tiwari, Sharad C. Srivastava, Panagiotis Kyratsis
Institution: University of Western Macedonia
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7170092372