Smart materials, also known as responsive or intelligent materials, are capable of responding to environmental stimuli in a predictable and controlled manner. Significant progress has been achieved in the field of smart materials over the last few decades, and these materials are now being employed in a variety of fields, including biomedical engineering. This chapter explores the use of smart materials in biomedicine, which has opened up a new frontier in the field. The chapter covers the fundamental principles of smart materials and their types, properties, and applications in biomedicine. It presents a thorough overview of the most recent research and development in the application of smart materials in biomedicine, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensors, and imaging, as well as an explanation of the current difficulties and future prospects of this promising topic. This chapter concludes that smart materials possess pronounced potential in biomedicine and could revolutionize the way medical treatments are administered in the future.
Top1. Introduction
In recent years, the growth of smart materials has fetched a new era in biomedical research and clinical practice. These materials are designed with unique properties that allow them to respond and adapt to changes in their environment. This remarkable characteristic has made them an attractive candidate for a broad range of biomedical uses which includes delivery of drugs, tissue engineering process, and medical imaging systems. Smart materials have the potential to revolutionize the biomedical industry by offering fresh approaches to many of the problems that face the medical community. A family of materials known as “smart materials” can adapt their characteristics or behavior in response to external stimuli such changes in temperature, light, or magnetic fields. (Y.-C. Li et al., 2016). These materials have found numerous applications in the field of biomedicine due to their exceptional properties and abilities to mimic.
Biomedical applications of smart materials are diverse, ranging from drug delivery and tissue engineering to diagnostic tools and wearable devices (Bahl et al., 2020). Smart materials are used as scaffolds in the tissue engineering to offer mechanical support to grow cells and tissues, while also facilitate their growth and differentiation. Smart materials are used in a variety of biomedical devices, where they can perform precise functions due to their unique properties. The mechanisms behind these devices are often rely on the response of the material to specific stimuli.
Smart materials have been found application in drug delivery systems to increase the release of drugs and decrease side effects (Vashist & Ahmad, 2013). These materials can react to specific stimuli like pH or temperature, and release drugs in a controlled manner. For example, smart hydrogels can swell or shrink in response to changes in specific external stimuli, and this response can be used to control drug release. Tissue engineering involves the use of biomaterials to produce functional tissues or organs. Smart materials can be utilized in tissue engineering to generate structures that mimic natural tissues or provide specific functions (Khan & Tanaka, 2017). For instance, scaffolds that can alter shape in response to a particular stimulus can be made using shape memory polymers, enabling them to better mimic the shape of the surrounding tissue.
Smart materials found applications in implants and prosthetics to enhance their durability (Badami & Ahuja, 2014). For instance, stents made of shape memory alloys can expand and contract in response to temperature or stress changes, allowing them to adapt to the surrounding tissue. Self-healing materials are helpful to extend the lifespan of implants and prosthetics by repairing any damage that may occur over time. In sensors and actuators, smart materials are used to detect and respond to specific stimuli. For example, piezoelectric materials can create an electric charge related to mechanical stress, and this response can be used to produce sensors that detect pressure, strain, or vibration (Song et al., 2021). Shape memory alloys can be employed as actuators that can respond to changes in magnetic or thermal fields in order to carry out particular tasks. Diagnostic instruments like biosensors, which can identify specific compounds or analyses in biological samples, frequently make use of smart materials. (Arab Hassani et al., 2020). They can also be used in wearable devices, such as smart fabrics and sensors, to monitor vital signs, track activity levels, and even detect changes in mood or emotions.
This chapter will explore the current state of research in smart materials and their application in biomedicine, as well as the future directions and potential impact of this promising new frontier.