Molecular-engineered stimuli-responsive thin polymer film: a platform for the development of integrated multifunctional intelligent materials

The area of stimuli-responsive thin polymer films (brushes, layer-by-layer multilayered structures, networks, and hybrid systems with inorganic particles) is discussed in this article with the major focus on the properties and potential applications for sensors, smart coatings, miniaturized devices, and hierarchically assembled multifunctional systems. We suggest directions for further expansion of this area using all aspects of the mechanism of response (transduction, dynamics, selectivity, sensitivity, and amplifications) and combinations of different thin film structural designs.