Photoresponsive Polymer Hydrogel Coatings that Change Topography

This chapter provides a brief overview of the principles as well as the potential applications of photoresponsive hydrogel films, which change surface topography. It discusses the operating mechanisms that lead to topographical changes. Changes in topography can affect the wettability of a surface, which is an interesting characteristic for making self-cleaning coatings. The chapter also discusses polymer films that are useful for the development of self-cleaning films. It then discusses responsive materials, for cell culturing and microfluidics applications. The chapter further shows that appealing photoresponsive polymer hydrogel coatings that change topography can be fabricated, which holds great promise in a variety of fields ranging from microfluidic devices to biomedical applications. When the structures of the topography are in the micrometer size regime, they influence the wettability of the surface. Two types of wetting can be defined: Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter.