The accelerating pace of industrialization, urbanization, and population growth has exerted unprecedented stress on the natural environment. Consequently, worldwide issues including climate change, resource depletion, environmental contamination, and energy scarcity have intensified significantly. In response to these concerns, sustainable development has emerged as a fundamental framework, seeking to balance present-day requirements with the long-term needs of future generations. Within this framework, smart materials have gained considerable attention for their ability to adapt to environmental conditions and enhance resource efficiency. Also referred to as intelligent or responsive materials, smart materials possess the capability to sense changes in their surroundings and respond in a controlled and functional manner. They can alter properties, such as shape, color, stiffness, or electrical conductivity, when exposed to external stimuli including temperature, pressure, light, moisture, and electric or magnetic fields. By improving system performance while minimizing waste, energy consumption, and environmental impact, smart materials contribute significantly to sustainable solutions. This review presents an overview of smart materials, highlighting their types, characteristics, applications, and their vital role in promoting environmental sustainability.

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1. Li M, Du Y, Zhao J, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Yi J, et al. Carbon quantum dot-enhanced stimulus-responsive hydrogels for smart food packaging: Sensing, preservation, and AI-enabled predictive quality management. Food Packag Shelf Life. 2026;53:101701.
2. Lin C, Yang M, Zhang F, Liu Y, Leng J. Stimuli-responsive smart materials for biomedical applications. Mater Sci Eng R Rep. 2026;167:101126.
3. Anwar T, Mu C, Qaisar SM, Kim YS. Advances in carbon nanomaterials for electrochemical sensors in environmental remediation and smart grid applications. Microchem J. 2026;117111.
4. Liu L, Li L, Li L, Lun Z, Zhang Z, Gou H, et al. Next-generation aerogel-based smart sensors: Core types, latest advances, and future prospects. Appl Mater Today. 2026;48:103098.
5. Liberty JT. Foresight for pandemic-resilient futures: CRISPR, interpretive biosensing, and smart diagnostics. Futures. 2026;177:103767.
6. Chandrasekar A, Chen CL, Dong CL. Electronic and atomic structure-function relationships in smart window materials via X-ray spectroscopy. Mater Sci Semicond Process. 2026;202:110151.
7. Chen Q, Zhou X, Dai Y, Guo L, Jovanova J. Soft robotics actuated by smart materials applied in rail maintenance: Review of intelligent control and sensor methods. Auton Transp Res. 2025.
8. Ananna JS, Rahman MTU, Saha P, Shah SS, Kim BJ, Aziz MA, et al. Supercapacitors beyond energy storage: Multi-functional devices for sensing, actuation, and smart systems. Sustain Mater Technol. 2026;47:e01840.
9. Behera D, Fathima J, Saady NMC, Zendehboudi S, Albayati TM, Al-nayili A, et al. Sustainable agriculture through environmental adaptation engineering for waste management. Green Technol Sustain. 2026;4(1):100242.
10. Alqahtani B, Kumbhar D, Syed AM, Ansari MDR, Li H, Dominguez K, et al. Smart multifunctional memory devices capable of sensing: The role of responsive materials in advancing nonvolatile memories. Mater Today. 2025;90:563–597.
11. Imai S. Human internal actuators using bending and twisting deformation of a soft heat storage material driven by ultrasonic heating of shape memory alloy wires. Sens Actuators A Phys. 2026;117535.
12. Khadka A, Joshi B, Samuel E, Ojha DP, An S, Lee HS, et al. The effect of ZnO–TiO2 fillers on the electroactive phase of PVDF and effective charge separation for fabricating high-performance piezoelectric nanogenerators. Compos Commun. 2025;60:102640.
13. Bajgiran NK, Ahmadi Y, Majidi S, Ahmadi B. Smart polymer-based membranes for biomedical applications: Mechanisms, fabrication, and advances in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering. Mater Today Commun. 2026;50:114443.
14. Long C, Huang Z, Wang H, Huang Z, Luo H, Yang G, et al. The influence of the terminal ester groups of 5-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)benzene-1,2,3-triyl tri(aryloates) on their emission, photochromic and thermochromic properties: Towards high contrast multifunctional materials. Dyes Pigments. 2025;243:113058.
15. Verma A, Bhushan K, Singh H. Nanocomposites for extrinsic self-healing polymer materials: A comprehensive review of their repair behaviour. Results Chem. 2025;13:101973.
16. Wu J, Zhao L, Zhang Y, Sun S, Yao L, Yang C, et al. The effects of high-performance Al3+ electrolyte and driving voltage on the electrochromic properties of WO3 films. Ceram Int. 2025;51(21 Pt B):35202–35213.
17. Zakirullin R. Dual-grating smart window with vertically distributed transmittance to optimize indoor daylight distribution and solar heat gain. Energy Build. 2025;328:115189.
18. Rezapour M, Ghassemieh M, Motavalli M, Shahverdi M, Michels J. Seismic enhancement of masonry walls using Fe-based shape memory alloys: Experimental evaluation of vertical and diagonal post-tensioning. Constr Build Mater. 2025;505:144544.
19. Jain H, Singh L, Shrivastava A, Paul M, Horo H, Samuel HS. MXene-enhanced polymer nanocomposite membranes for next-generation wastewater treatment and desalination. Next Mater. 2026;10:101574.
20. Firoozi AA, Firoozi AA, Oyejobi DO, Avudaiappan S, Flores ES. Enhanced durability and environmental sustainability in marine infrastructure: innovations in anti-corrosive coating technologies. Results Eng. 2025;26:105144.
21. Lin H, Sui Z, Li F, Wu W. Materials-empowered smart versatile building envelopes toward a sustainable energy-water-environment nexus. Matter. 2025;8(10):102293.
22. Saleh TA. Smart materials in water, environment, and sustainability: Types and applications. In: Smart functional hybrid nanocomposites: Fundamentals and applications for environmental sustainability and energy. Woodhead Publishing; 2026. p. 291–313.
23. Rathod PV, Chavan PV, Kim H. Sustainable biopolymer hydrogel electrolytes for electrochromics: Materials, mechanisms, and roadmaps to next-generation smart technologies. J Energy Chem. 2025.
24. Senanayake D, Munaweera I. 2D materials for nutraceutical delivery and smart packaging: Multifunctional, sustainable, and responsive applications. RSC Adv. 2025;15(42):35233–35252.
25. Rehman UU, Sahar KU, Wang CM. Next-generation nanofluids: Smart materials, hybrid composites, and the path to sustainable thermal management. J Mol Liq. 2026;443:129148.
26. Noh-Pat F, Gijón-Rivera M, Rivera-Solorio CI, Jiménez-Xamán M. Numerical analysis of the thermal performance of a lightweight insulating roof integrated with a phase change material. Case Stud Therm Eng. 2026;77:107634.
27. Sharma M, Mahajan P, Alsubaie AS, Khanna V, Chahal S, Thakur A, et al. Next-generation nanomaterials-based biosensors: Real-time biosensing devices for detecting emerging environmental pollutants. Mater Today Sustain. 2025;29:101068.
28. Uddin HMW, Progoti QRM, Mondal MC, Arman SE, Malitha SB. Adaptive nickel–titanium shape memory alloy for smart systems: Mechanisms, manufacturing, and applications across biomedical, aerospace, civil, and energy. Mater Today Commun. 2026;50:114564.
29. Lagdali S, El-Habacha M, Benjelloun M, Lasfar M, Mahmoudy G, Dabagh A, et al. Low-cost ceramic membranes: Manufacturing methods, cost analysis and application in water and wastewater treatment: A review. ChemPhysMater. 2026;5(1):22–49.
30. Bibri SE, Huang J. AI and AI-powered digital twins for smart, green, and zero-energy buildings: A systematic review of leading-edge solutions for advancing environmental sustainability goals. Environ Sci Ecotechnol. 2025;28:100628.
31. Yin JH, Song HY, Zhu H. Smart governance for sustainable development: Stage-specific effects and regional heterogeneity in a global empirical framework. Struct Change Econ Dyn. 2026;77:43–61.

The accelerating pace of industrialization, urbanization, and population growth has exerted unprecedented stress on the natural environment. Consequently, worldwide issues including climate change, resource depletion, environmental contamination, and energy scarcity have intensified significantly. In response to these concerns, sustainable development has emerged as a fundamental framework, seeking to balance present-day requirements with the long-term needs of future generations. Within this framework, smart materials have gained considerable attention for their ability to adapt to environmental conditions and enhance resource efficiency. Also referred to as intelligent or responsive materials, smart materials possess the capability to sense changes in their surroundings and respond in a controlled and functional manner. They can alter properties, such as shape, color, stiffness, or electrical conductivity, when exposed to external stimuli including temperature, pressure, light, moisture, and electric or magnetic fields. By improving system performance while minimizing waste, energy consumption, and environmental impact, smart materials contribute significantly to sustainable solutions. This review presents an overview of smart materials, highlighting their types, characteristics, applications, and their vital role in promoting environmental sustainability.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Li M, Du Y, Zhao J, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Yi J, et al. Carbon quantum dot-enhanced stimulus-responsive hydrogels for smart food packaging: Sensing, preservation, and AI-enabled predictive quality management. Food Packag Shelf Life. 2026;53:101701.
2. Lin C, Yang M, Zhang F, Liu Y, Leng J. Stimuli-responsive smart materials for biomedical applications. Mater Sci Eng R Rep. 2026;167:101126.
3. Anwar T, Mu C, Qaisar SM, Kim YS. Advances in carbon nanomaterials for electrochemical sensors in environmental remediation and smart grid applications. Microchem J. 2026;117111.
4. Liu L, Li L, Li L, Lun Z, Zhang Z, Gou H, et al. Next-generation aerogel-based smart sensors: Core types, latest advances, and future prospects. Appl Mater Today. 2026;48:103098.
5. Liberty JT. Foresight for pandemic-resilient futures: CRISPR, interpretive biosensing, and smart diagnostics. Futures. 2026;177:103767.
6. Chandrasekar A, Chen CL, Dong CL. Electronic and atomic structure-function relationships in smart window materials via X-ray spectroscopy. Mater Sci Semicond Process. 2026;202:110151.
7. Chen Q, Zhou X, Dai Y, Guo L, Jovanova J. Soft robotics actuated by smart materials applied in rail maintenance: Review of intelligent control and sensor methods. Auton Transp Res. 2025.
8. Ananna JS, Rahman MTU, Saha P, Shah SS, Kim BJ, Aziz MA, et al. Supercapacitors beyond energy storage: Multi-functional devices for sensing, actuation, and smart systems. Sustain Mater Technol. 2026;47:e01840.
9. Behera D, Fathima J, Saady NMC, Zendehboudi S, Albayati TM, Al-nayili A, et al. Sustainable agriculture through environmental adaptation engineering for waste management. Green Technol Sustain. 2026;4(1):100242.
10. Alqahtani B, Kumbhar D, Syed AM, Ansari MDR, Li H, Dominguez K, et al. Smart multifunctional memory devices capable of sensing: The role of responsive materials in advancing nonvolatile memories. Mater Today. 2025;90:563–597.
11. Imai S. Human internal actuators using bending and twisting deformation of a soft heat storage material driven by ultrasonic heating of shape memory alloy wires. Sens Actuators A Phys. 2026;117535.
12. Khadka A, Joshi B, Samuel E, Ojha DP, An S, Lee HS, et al. The effect of ZnO–TiO2 fillers on the electroactive phase of PVDF and effective charge separation for fabricating high-performance piezoelectric nanogenerators. Compos Commun. 2025;60:102640.
13. Bajgiran NK, Ahmadi Y, Majidi S, Ahmadi B. Smart polymer-based membranes for biomedical applications: Mechanisms, fabrication, and advances in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering. Mater Today Commun. 2026;50:114443.
14. Long C, Huang Z, Wang H, Huang Z, Luo H, Yang G, et al. The influence of the terminal ester groups of 5-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)benzene-1,2,3-triyl tri(aryloates) on their emission, photochromic and thermochromic properties: Towards high contrast multifunctional materials. Dyes Pigments. 2025;243:113058.
15. Verma A, Bhushan K, Singh H. Nanocomposites for extrinsic self-healing polymer materials: A comprehensive review of their repair behaviour. Results Chem. 2025;13:101973.
16. Wu J, Zhao L, Zhang Y, Sun S, Yao L, Yang C, et al. The effects of high-performance Al3+ electrolyte and driving voltage on the electrochromic properties of WO3 films. Ceram Int. 2025;51(21 Pt B):35202–35213.
17. Zakirullin R. Dual-grating smart window with vertically distributed transmittance to optimize indoor daylight distribution and solar heat gain. Energy Build. 2025;328:115189.
18. Rezapour M, Ghassemieh M, Motavalli M, Shahverdi M, Michels J. Seismic enhancement of masonry walls using Fe-based shape memory alloys: Experimental evaluation of vertical and diagonal post-tensioning. Constr Build Mater. 2025;505:144544.
19. Jain H, Singh L, Shrivastava A, Paul M, Horo H, Samuel HS. MXene-enhanced polymer nanocomposite membranes for next-generation wastewater treatment and desalination. Next Mater. 2026;10:101574.
20. Firoozi AA, Firoozi AA, Oyejobi DO, Avudaiappan S, Flores ES. Enhanced durability and environmental sustainability in marine infrastructure: innovations in anti-corrosive coating technologies. Results Eng. 2025;26:105144.
21. Lin H, Sui Z, Li F, Wu W. Materials-empowered smart versatile building envelopes toward a sustainable energy-water-environment nexus. Matter. 2025;8(10):102293.
22. Saleh TA. Smart materials in water, environment, and sustainability: Types and applications. In: Smart functional hybrid nanocomposites: Fundamentals and applications for environmental sustainability and energy. Woodhead Publishing; 2026. p. 291–313.
23. Rathod PV, Chavan PV, Kim H. Sustainable biopolymer hydrogel electrolytes for electrochromics: Materials, mechanisms, and roadmaps to next-generation smart technologies. J Energy Chem. 2025.
24. Senanayake D, Munaweera I. 2D materials for nutraceutical delivery and smart packaging: Multifunctional, sustainable, and responsive applications. RSC Adv. 2025;15(42):35233–35252.
25. Rehman UU, Sahar KU, Wang CM. Next-generation nanofluids: Smart materials, hybrid composites, and the path to sustainable thermal management. J Mol Liq. 2026;443:129148.
26. Noh-Pat F, Gijón-Rivera M, Rivera-Solorio CI, Jiménez-Xamán M. Numerical analysis of the thermal performance of a lightweight insulating roof integrated with a phase change material. Case Stud Therm Eng. 2026;77:107634.
27. Sharma M, Mahajan P, Alsubaie AS, Khanna V, Chahal S, Thakur A, et al. Next-generation nanomaterials-based biosensors: Real-time biosensing devices for detecting emerging environmental pollutants. Mater Today Sustain. 2025;29:101068.
28. Uddin HMW, Progoti QRM, Mondal MC, Arman SE, Malitha SB. Adaptive nickel–titanium shape memory alloy for smart systems: Mechanisms, manufacturing, and applications across biomedical, aerospace, civil, and energy. Mater Today Commun. 2026;50:114564.
29. Lagdali S, El-Habacha M, Benjelloun M, Lasfar M, Mahmoudy G, Dabagh A, et al. Low-cost ceramic membranes: Manufacturing methods, cost analysis and application in water and wastewater treatment: A review. ChemPhysMater. 2026;5(1):22–49.
30. Bibri SE, Huang J. AI and AI-powered digital twins for smart, green, and zero-energy buildings: A systematic review of leading-edge solutions for advancing environmental sustainability goals. Environ Sci Ecotechnol. 2025;28:100628.
31. Yin JH, Song HY, Zhu H. Smart governance for sustainable development: Stage-specific effects and regional heterogeneity in a global empirical framework. Struct Change Econ Dyn. 2026;77:43–61.