Temperatursensitive

Temperatursensitive, more commonly written as temperature-sensitive or thermo-responsive, describes materials, devices, or systems whose properties change in response to temperature variations. The term encompasses polymers, hydrogels, pigments, adhesives, and sensors that exhibit a measurable response when heated or cooled.

Mechanisms vary by class. In polymers, phase transitions such as a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) or upper critical solution temperature (UCST) drive changes in solubility and swelling. Hydrogels can undergo a volume phase transition near a characteristic temperature, altering mesh size and permeability. Thermochromic materials change color due to reversible structural or electronic adjustments with temperature. Electrical properties can shift with temperature through changes in resistance or conductivity, while some adhesives modify their bonding behavior as temperature alters softening, curing, or dissolution kinetics.

Examples include poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), a classic thermo-responsive polymer with LCST near body temperature, and various thermochromic dyes used in temperature-indicating applications. Temperature-sensitive hydrogels are employed in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering, and temperature-sensitive adhesives enable bonding or release at specific temperatures.

Applications span drug delivery, smart coatings, packaging, soft robotics, and sensors or diagnostic devices that rely on a temperature-triggered response. Practical design requires consideration of transition temperature, reversibility, response time, and potential hysteresis, as well as environmental stability. Measurement often uses transition temperatures (LCST/UCST), temperature coefficients of resistance, or kinetic metrics like Q10 to quantify sensitivity.