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Hydrogels are a fascinating class of polymers which show an immense ability of swelling under the influence of temperature, pH value or concentrations of different species in aqueous solutions. The volume change can amount up to several hundred percent. This unique behaviour is already used in such applications like disposable diapers, contact lenses or drug-delivery systems.
The ability to perform mechanical work has been shifted the technical interest more and more towards sensors and actuators exploiting the thermo-chemo-mechano-electrical coupling within hydrogels. The accuracy requirements for such devices are much more demanding than for previous applications. Therefore, a deep knowledge of both the material and the functional properties of hydrogel sensors and actuators is needed. The monograph describes state of the art and recent developments for these materials in sensor and actuator technology.
List of contents
Preface.- General properties of hydrogels.- Synthesis of hydrogels.- Swelling-related processes in hydrogels.- Modelling and simulation of the chemo-electro-mechanical behaviour.- Hydrogels for chemical sensors.- Hydrogels for biosensors.- Hydrogels for actuators.- Polymer hydrogels to enable new medical therapies.
About the author
Gerald Gerlach hat an der Technischen Universität Dresden Elektrotechnik studiert.§Nach seiner Promotion zum Doktor Ingenieur 1987 hat er 1991 habilitiert und ist seit 1993 Professor an der Fakultät Elektrotechnik der Technischen Universität Dresden. Er war mehrere Jahre Sprecher des Graduiertenkollegs "Sensorik" an der TU Dresden und ist seit 1996 Direktor des Instituts für Festkörperelektronik. Seit 2007 ist er Vorsitzender der VDI/VDE-Gesellschaft für Mess- und Automatisierungstechnik. Als Mitglied des wissenschaftlichen Beirats der Zeitschrift Technisches Messen und als langjähriger Fachgutachter der DFG und Vorsitzender des Arbeitskreises der Hochschullehrer für Messtechnik (AHMT) hat er nicht nur seiner Arbeit Inspiration geben können. Seit 2006 ist er Associate Editor des IEEE Sensors Journals.
Summary
Hydrogels are a fascinating class of polymers which show an immense ability of swelling under the influence of temperature, pH value or concentrations of different species in aqueous solutions. The volume change can amount up to several hundred percent. This unique behaviour is already used in such applications like disposable diapers, contact lenses or drug-delivery systems.
The ability to perform mechanical work has been shifted the technical interest more and more towards sensors and actuators exploiting the thermo-chemo-mechano-electrical coupling within hydrogels. The accuracy requirements for such devices are much more demanding than for previous applications. Therefore, a deep knowledge of both the material and the functional properties of hydrogel sensors and actuators is needed. The monograph describes state of the art and recent developments for these materials in sensor and actuator technology.
