Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) nanocomposite films were prepared using 1,6-hexane diisocyanate and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) in tetrahydrofuran with various concentrations of SWCNTs. The interaction between polyurethane (PU) and SWCNTs in nanocomposite was studied using different methods. The film turns yellowish to grayish-black in colour upon increasing the concentration of SWCNTs in PU matrix. This may be due to the formation of π–π interaction between polyurethane amide functional group and SWCNTs. Differential scanning calorimetric results show that the soft segment of nanocomposite interacts much stronger than hard segment, which results in lowering melting transition temperature of soft segments. The activation energy and thermal stability parameters were determined from thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric analyses. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results show the intermolecular interaction between HTPB-based PU and SWCNT. Mesoporous morphology of the nanocomposites was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The average diameter of the pores was calculated using Gaussian method. The TPU films exhibit about 3.5 times greater resistivity than nanocomposite films. All the analysed data prove that the SWCNTs were well distributed in PU matrix and exhibited as tough films with low electrical resistivity.

Responsive polymers are considered smart materials since they undergo physical or structural changes in response to external stimuli like pH or temperature. While those polymers have been conventionally used in catalysis, textile/coating industries, drug/gene delivery, and tissue engineering; more recent research is focused on the application as a sensor. In many cases, external stimuli like pH or temperature are detected by converting the transition behavior of responsive polymers into an easily visible output signal. In this review article, we have summed up previously reported literature under the giver persuasion, mostly between the years 2010–2020 to highlight the recent developments in the promising role of responsive polymers as a smart sensor to detect either single stimuli like temperature/pH, or dual-stimuli by combining more than one responsive block like temperature and pH. Graphical Abstract

In the present paper, we report the non-covalent immobilization of pH and temperature responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-methacrylic acid on a protein collagen (type I) and a leather surface. The polymer has N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) functionality that is responsible for the thermo-responsive characteristics and carboxylic acid/carboxylate functionality that facilitates the pH-responsive behaviour. We were able to tune the clouding behaviour of the polymer in water from 15 to 40 °C by changing the pH from 4.5 to 5.7. The binding of the polymer to a native collagen protein (type I) or leather is facilitated by the carboxylate groups that form coordination complexes with chromium(III). The polymer was successfully used in the retanning and coating of leather. The polymer-coated leather as well as the polymer-grafted collagen clearly show thermo-responsive characteristics.