Thermo-responsive polymers and advances in their applications in separation science

Thermo-responsive polymers are among the smart materials that have captured the interests of some researchers in separation science. Some of the researchers have used thermo-responsive polymers as adsorbents during adsorption studies and for the development of intelligent membrane systems as well as in the construction of versatile biphasic systems. On the other hand, some researchers have used them as stationary phases during solid-phase extraction of analytes in food and environmental samples. All these applications of thermoresponsive polymers in separation science are extensively explored in this review. The physicochemical properties of thermo-responsive polymers can be enhanced by forming composites with highly porous materials such as metal-organic frameworks. In addition, the selectivity of thermo-responsive polymers can be improved by the incorporation of molecularly imprinted polymers into their structures. These performance enhancement strategies are discussed in this paper. The challenges and future prospects of utilising these smart polymers in separation are also well-articulated in this review.