Smart gel–glass based on the responsive properties of polymer gels

Polymer gels are unique smart materials in the sense that they can respond to many different stimuli. In this paper we report how poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (abbreviated as PNIPA) and other polymer hydrogels can be used to construct an intelligent gel‐glass which can moderate the amount of light and radiated heat. This environmental sensitive glass, which is a smart hydrogel layer placed between two glass or plastic sheets, becomes opaque when the temperature exceeds a critical value. It becomes transparent again if it is cooled down. The adaptive properties of gel‐glasses make them a promising materials to protect from strong sunlight and heat radiation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.