Phase Transition Mechanism and Research Progress of LCST-Type Thermosensitive Hydrogels

As a type of intelligent polymer with significant application potential, lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type hydrogels have shown broad application prospects in fields such as thermal management, biomedicine, and intelligent devices, due to theirs high water content, thermally responsive phase transitions, and tunable properties. This article elaborates in detail the molecular mechanism, thermodynamic principles of the phase transition, and the equations of thermal performance. On this basis, it comprehensively summarizes the strategies for adjusting the LCST temperature, improving its stability and multifunctionality, for help researchers gain a deeper understanding of LCST-type hydrogels. Moreover, it is also shown that this manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of typical applications of LCST hydrogels, including controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering, sensing and detection, thermal management, energy utilization and conservation, as well as smart textiles. Finally, the great capability of LCST-type hydrogels and future perspectives in this field are outlined. This review aims to establish a systematic design framework and offer practical guidance for the rational development and performance optimization of next-generation LCST-type phase-change hydrogels, while also highlighting their promising prospects for application across multiple fields.