Recent developments in self-oscillating polymeric systems as smart materials: from polymers to bulk hydrogels

Abstract

As novel functional materials, we developed self-oscillating polymeric materials composed of synthetic polymers coupled with an oscillating chemical reaction, the so-called Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. These materials are very different from traditional stimuli-responsive polymeric materials in terms of their autonomic, self-regulating, and rhythmically changing functions. In this review, we address recent advances in the field of self-oscillating smart materials from the microscopic scale (linear copolymers and block copolymers) to the macroscopic scale (cross-linked hydrogels). The unique features of self-oscillating materials are analogous to the diverse functions of living organisms. This overview has been prepared to promote the development of innovative self-oscillating materials for novel biomimetic material systems.