Polymeric actuators.

Actuators are materials and devices that are able to change their shape in response to changes in environmental conditions and perform mechanical work on nano-, micro-, and macroscales. Among the huge variety of different actuators, polymer-based ones are highly attractive because of a number of properties such as sensitivity to a broad range of stimuli and good mechanical properties. The goal of this review is to provide a general picture of different mechanisms and working principles of polymeric actuators as well as to show a palette of their applications.