Research Methods for Smart Materials

The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation 

Kazan National Research Technological University 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A. Bezrukov, Yu. Galyametdinov 

 
 

RESEARCH METHODS 

FOR SMART MATERIALS 

 

 

Tutorial 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

Kazan 

KNRTU Press 

2018 

 

UDC 620.22
LBC Ч481.211я7

 
Published by the decision of the Editorial Review Board 
of the Kazan National Research Technological University 
 
Reviewers: 
Doctor of Chemistry, Professor L. Zakharova 
PhD in Philology, Associate Professor G. Safiullina 
 
 
 

Bezrukov A.
Research Methods for Smart Materials : tutorial / A. Bezrukov, 
Yu. Galyametdinov; The Ministry of Science and Higher Educa-
tion of the Russian Federation, Kazan National Research Techno-
logical University. – Kazan : KNRTU Press, 2018. – 84 p. 
 
ISBN 978-5-7882-2515-9

 
The main research methods for study and characterization of smart materials 
(as objects of interest for modern advanced research activities) are discussed in 
this tutorial. Various characterization methods are considered, such as dynamic 
light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, atomic force microscopy, X-ray 
diffraction, electron microscopy, and etc. The primary target audience of this 
tutorial are Master’s students majoring in the following areas of study: 18.04.01 
“Chemical Engineering”, 28.04.02 “Nanoengineering”, and 22.04.01 “Materials 
Science and Technology”. 
This tutorial was developed at the Department of Physical and Colloidal 
Chemistry. 
 

 
This tutorial was developed with the support of Potanin Foundation Grant 

for Master’s program teaching faculty, Agreement # ГСГК-25/18. 
 

ISBN 978-5-7882-2515-9
© Bezrukov A., Galyametdinov Yu., 2018
© Kazan National Research Technological 

University, 2018

UDC 620.22
LBC Ч481.211я7

ВВЕДЕНИЕ 

В настоящее время набирает популярность концепция так 

называемых «умных материалов» или «smart materials». Термин 
«smart» все более интенсивно применяется не только к технологическим 
процессам и устройствам, но и к различным материалам, а 
также объектам молекулярного и надмолекулярного уровней, 
определяющих свойства таких материалов в макромасштабе. 

Ученые США, Германии, Великобритании, России и других 

стран описывают различные аспекты смарт-материалов и систем, 
их формирующих. Ввиду значительного многообразия объектов 
изучения, приводятся и обсуждаются примеры из самых различных 
областей – от электроники до медицины. Вместе в тем авторы 
дают сходное определение смарт-материалов как систем, способных 
изменять свои свойства под действием внешних факторов, таких 
как температура, давление, свет, а также pH и другие свойства 
среды. Это обусловливает применение умных материалов в качестве 
различных сенсоров, актуаторов, способных избирательно реагировать 
на внешние воздействия. 

Данное пособие посвящено основным методам изучения и характеристики «
умных материалов», таким как динамическое рассеяние 
света, ядерный магнитный резонанс, атомно-силовая микроскопия, 
рентгеновская дифракция, электронная микроскопия, 
малоугловое рентгеновское рассеяние и т.д. 

В пособии рассмотрен ряд спектроскопических методов исследования, 
таких как фотонная корреляционная спектроскопия 
(динамическое светорассеяние), спектроскопия ядерного магнитного 
резонанса, масс-спектроскопия и т.д. Уделяется внимание 
различным методами микроскопических исследований, таким как 
электронная микроскопия. Рассматриваются методы изучения поверхности: 
атомная-силовая микроскопия, метод измерения краевого 
угла. Обсуждаются методы исследования свойств частиц 
в микрожидкостных каналах. 

Пособие разработано при поддержке Благотворительного 

фонда Владимира Потанина в рамках гранта для преподавателей 
магистратуры. Основная идея данного проекта – разработка англоязычного 
модуля для магистерской программы «Физико-

 

химические особенности супрамолекулярно-организованных процессов 
и систем», включающего лекционные курсы и практические 
занятия с целью развития у студентов, обучающихся по данной 
программе, компетенций международного профессионального 
общения. 
Пособие разработано как для русскоязычных магистрантов и 
аспирантов вузов естественно-научного профиля, так и для привлечения 
студентов из зарубежных стран для обучения в рамках 
международных образовательных программ. 
Другая целевая аудитория данного пособия – студенты, изучающие 
английский язык, в рамках соответствующих дополнительных 
профессионально-ориентированных программ подготовки. 

INTRODUCTION 

Smart materials are the key components of modern industry and 

science. A concept of so-called intelligent or smart materials is rapidly 
becoming more and more popular. Such materials are responsive to var-
ious external stimuli, such as temperature, pressure, electric fields, mag-
netic fields, pH, ionic factors, surface interactions and etc. Therefore, 
their properties can be controlled in a variety of different ways to obtain 
a useful response. 

Smart materials offer new solutions for many branches of industry. 

Polymers or other functional materials doped with nanoparticles demon-
strate a set of new interesting properties broadening their application 
areas and commercial attractiveness. Surface treatment of solid materi-
als can form a nanolayer with difference structure and properties. Alt-
hough several nanometers in depth, such surfaces are responsible for 
completely different behavior of treated materials. 

Intelligent materials with electric and/or magnetic properties are 

utilized in electronic industry and other branches of industry where se-
lective response to electric or magnetic fields is important. 

Another exciting research field closely related to smart materials 

is soft matter science. Soft matter is represented by various polymer na-
noparticles in solutions, surfactant micelles, vesicles, bilayer structures 
and etc. Soft matter is often a smart responsive structure: if we change 
the ratio of components, medium composition, pH, hydrophilic-lipo-
philic balance and etc., we will obtain a lot of different systems at na-
noscale with various size, shape, surface activity and volume properties. 
Soft matter is the key component of drug delivery systems. 

Smart materials represent an interdisciplinary topic which is 

closely related to materials science, nanotechnology, chemistry, chemi-
cal engineering, interfacial phenomena, solution chemistry, supramo-
lecular chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology, and etc. 

Smart materials courses are taught in many universities abroad 

gaining growing attention from students. For example, Royal Melbourne 
Institute of Technology, Australia, offers a “Nanotechnology and Smart 
Materials” Master’s Degree program. University of California in Los-
Angeles has launched a similar academic program entitled “Multifunc-
tional and Smart Materials”. A term similar to “Smart Materials” is 

“Advanced Materials”. Such programs and courses are offered by top 
universities in the USA and Europe: University of Gratz, Austria (Ad-
vanced Materials Science); Ulm University, Germany (Advanced Mate-
rials); University of Bordeaux, France (Advanced Materials); California 
State University Northridge, USA (Advanced Materials Science); Cran-
field University, Great Britain (Advanced Materials). 

This study guide was inspired by the grant provided by V. Potanin 

Foundation for the development of teaching components for a Master’s 
Degree Program (in this specific case for a program entitled “Physico-
chemical Properties of Supramolecularly Organized Processes and Sys-
tems”). 

Therefore, it is a part of an integral project aimed at introducing 

a Smart Materials component in English into the existing program de-
veloped in Russian. Therefore, it can be used both by Russian students 
who intend to enrich their study experience with courses taught in Eng-
lish and foreign students who plan to take a STEM course in English. 

This study guide is subdivided into twelve chapters each describ-

ing a certain analytical method for study and characterization of smart 
materials. The first chapter introduces spectroscopic methods in general. 
It is followed by the chapter describing photon correlation spectroscopy 
(or dynamic light scattering). This method is a powerful tool to charac-
terize the size of nanoparticles, soft matter systems, polymer macromol-
ecules, and drug delivery systems. 

Chapter 3 provides an overview of nuclear magnetic resonance 

that is among most powerful tools to study the molecular structure of 
substances. 

Chapter 4 proceeds to the particle size analysis by differential cen-

trifugal sedimentation. This method is convenient for the size character-
ization of colloidal particles and supramolecular systems. 

Chapter 5 summarizes microfluidic methods that can be applied to 

characterization of smart materials such as soft matter or drug delivery 
systems. 

Chapters 6 and 7 offer an overview of two popular surface analysis 

methods: atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurement. 
These methods are powerful instruments for surface characterization by 
direct measurements (cantilever motions) and surface wetting studies 
(contact angle). 

 

Chapter 8 continues the overview of spectroscopy methods by 
a short introduction to mass spectroscopy. It is followed by an overview 
of electron microscopy in chapters 9 and 10. Electron microscopy is an 
outstanding analytic method offering visualization of microstructures. 
Introduction to this microscopy method is subdivided into two chapters 
focusing on transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron mi-
croscopy, respectively. 
Finally, X-ray methods are discussed in this study guide. Chap-
ter 11 was reserved for X-ray diffraction, while the last chapter finalizes 
this study guide with the introduction to small-angle X-ray scattering. 
These methods capable of unveiling molecular level structures in vari-
ous types of materials, so they offer a lot of opportunities for character-
ization of smart materials. 
This study guide can be supplemented by the lecture course “In-
troduction to Smart Materials” which is also developed within the frame 
work of the grant provided by V. Potanin Foundation.  
Another potential application of this study guide is English teach-
ing for STEM students. Materials in English provided in every chapter 
can be used for training speaking and translation skills. 
The main target audience of this guide are Master’s and PhD stu-
dents studying STEM programs at engineering universities including 
foreign students who selected academic programs or research activities 
related to smart materials, nanotechnologies or materials science. It can 
be also used as a methodological component of international Master’s 
programs or online teaching courses. 

HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE 

This study guide provides an overview of research methods for 

smart materials, such as spectroscopic, microscopic and surface charac-
terization methods. The term “Smart Materials” is quite broad, so the 
analytical methods for their characterization are definitely not limited to 
the areas described in this study guide. 

The research methods for smart materials discussed here are 

mostly related to chemical engineering, physical chemistry, polymers, 
supramolecular systems and soft matter. 

This study guide consists of several chapters which can be used 

both individually and step-by-step. These chapters can be used by stu-
dents or professors as separate topics to be studied as an English in ad-
dition to the disciplines they teach or as an integral “Smart Materials” 
guide if such a discipline is included into their Master’s degree program. 

Analytical methods described in this study guide are used in a va-

riety of scientific research areas not limited to smart materials only. Dy-
namic light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, 
X-ray methods, and etc. are powerful experimental techniques provid-
ing customized solutions for many specific research areas. 

It should be emphasized that the research methods for intelligent 

materials are much broader than the analytical techniques summarized 
in this study guide, where the major focus was given to characterization 
of smart materials represented by soft matter structures. Students are 
encouraged to learn more about application of advanced materials from 
up-to-date publications. 

Each chapter begins with the list of self-development questions, 

so the students can prepare to studying the content of this chapter. For 
a teacher, it is recommended to check the answers before the students 
proceed to the chapter itself. These questions are usually more general 
than the information provided in the chapter for broader understanding 
of the analytical method this chapter describes. 

The control questions in the beginning and the end of each topic 

proved to be an efficient tool for discussion with students the main as-
pects of STEM topic in English, so faculty using this study guide is rec-
ommended to include questions-and-answers session at the beginning 
of their class. 

 

The final part of each chapter in this study guide is dedicated to 
a list of tasks, which can be made in a form of student presentations 
which will consider certain aspects of characterization methods for 
smart materials. It is recommended that such presentations cover some 
additional areas not mentioned in this text. 
This study guide was developed for a Master’s Degree Program 
entitled “Physicochemical Properties of Supramolecularly Organized 
Processes and Systems” which is further transforming into a program 
mostly focused on molecular materials. Therefore, this guide is a part of 
a broader project funded by V. Potanin Foundation, so other teaching 
components are recommended to use with this study guide, such as “In-
troduction to Smart Materials” course. 
The “Research Methods for Smart Materials” study guide consists 
of chapters describing various types of smart materials (polymers, soft 
matter, drug delivery system, ad etc.). Each chapter can be supple-
mented by a suitable chapter in “Research Methods for Smart Materials”, 
which characterizes analytical techniques suitable for certain types of 
smart materials. 

1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 

TO SPECTROSCOPY 

Self-development questions (find answers before you proceed to 

the study of this chapter): 

1. What are the main properties of spectroscopic methods? Make 

a general description. 

2. What parts of electromagnetic spectra are used by spectro-

scopic methods? Provide several examples. 

3. What properties of smart materials can be studied by spectros-

copy methods? 

4. What spectroscopic methods do you know? Briefly character-

ize one of them. 

5. Dynamic light scattering and small angle X-ray scattering are 

both spectroscopy methods utilized for characterization of na-
noparticles. What are similarities and differences of these two 
methods? 

 
The term “spectroscopy” defines a large number of analytical tech-

niques that use various kinds of radiation to obtain new information 
about the structure and properties of materials. 

There are various spectroscopic methods, which can be used for 

the analysis of smart materials. 

The basic principle behind all spectroscopic techniques is to irra-

diate a sample with a beam of radiation either electromagnetic or radia-
tion of other kind, and observe how it responds to such a stimulus. The 
response can be recorded as a function of radiation wavelength, inten-
sity, or scattering behavior. Another key term in the field of spectros-
copy is the plot of the response as a function of these stimuli. This func-
tion is referred to as a spectrum. 

The definition of spectroscopy has been more or less recently ex-

panded to include the study of the interactions of matter with particles 
such as electrons, protons, neutrons, and ions as a function of their col-
lision energy. 

Spectroscopic analysis is a crucial instrument in characterization 

of smart materials on their molecular and supramolecular levels. In ad-
dition, certain types of smart materials like liquid crystals and