spotLESS Materials, Inc.
A one-step spray that keeps a toilet surface from holding anything.
In marketStartup
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Updated Sept 29, 2026
Smart and responsive materials covers a material that changes when something around it changes. On Halo, the solutions cover engineered surfaces that repel and release, stimuli-responsive release, architected metamaterials, and materials that report or switch. Sign up to search the full network and post your specific need.
Engineered surfaces that repel and release
DC
FLITE Material Sciences
Laser nanotexturing makes a stack component hydrophobic with no coating.
In developmentSupplier
DC
FLITE Material Sciences
The same laser process turning metal, polymer, glass or ceramic omniphobic.
In developmentSupplier
TiO2 in a polyolefin membrane, repelling contaminants and degrading them.
In developmentUniversity
HP
The University of Oklahoma
A PFAS-free razor topcoat laid down by pulsed laser deposition.
Sponsored researchConceptualUniversity
LU
University of Alberta
Phosphonic acid monolayers with catechol PEG, for low friction that lasts.
Co-developmentConceptualUniversity
JH
Iowa State University
PDMS engineered chemically and geometrically to pin or release a liquid.
ConceptualUniversity
JP
University of Cincinnati
PEG built into the PDMS bulk, so the surface property survives wear.
Sponsored researchConceptualUniversity
Stimuli-responsive release
Carnegie Mellon University
Star polymers that open when a plant signals heat or reactive oxygen.
Sponsored researchIn developmentUniversity
Porous silica holding an oral care active inert until the pH moves.
Co-developmentConceptualStartup
BL
Adaptive 3D Technologies
An adhesive that switches state with temperature, for a removable nail.
ConceptualStartup
MA
A hydrogel that binds red blood cells on contact with menstrual fluid.
ConceptualStartup
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Who is working on smart and responsive materials
Organizations in smart and responsive materials
Universities, startups, and suppliers with solutions in smart materials.
Smart materials organizations
Innovators in smart and responsive materials
Researchers and inventors advancing smart materials.
Smart materials expertsAbout smart and responsive materials
Surfaces are where most of the responsiveness on Halo sits, engineered by laser texturing, grafting or bulk modification to repel a liquid or release it on demand. Behind them are stimuli-triggered release systems, architected metamaterials, and a set of polymers that heal or reconfigure after damage. On Halo it spans 8 groups, including engineered surfaces that repel and release, stimuli-responsive release, and architected metamaterials.
Stage of development. Work on smart and responsive materials on Halo comes mostly from university programs. 88% are past proof of concept (TRL 4 or higher). Syracuse University and University of Alberta have the most, followed by Cranfield University. Sponsored research and co-development are the usual partnering routes, and about 17% of the solutions that state terms offer pilot engagements.
Three trends in smart materials on Halo
Most of the response happens at the surface. Eight entries engineer a surface and leave the bulk alone: laser nanotexturing that turns metal, polymer, glass or ceramic omniphobic with no coating at all, PDMS modified chemically and geometrically to pin or release a drop, PEG built into the silicone bulk so the property survives wear, and a PFAS-free razor topcoat by pulsed laser deposition.
The trigger is chosen from the application. Six release systems, each keyed to a signal the product will actually meet: plant stress heat and reactive oxygen for a foliar carrier, pH in the mouth for an oral care active, temperature for a removable nail adhesive, contact with menstrual fluid for a binding hydrogel. The chemistry follows the environment, not the other way round.
Auxetic structures, three times. A negative Poisson's ratio turns up in a paper sandwich distributing pressure through a membrane roll, in a metamaterial paired with piezoelectrics for ten times the energy harvested, and in an organogel shield that lifts ice off a surface. It is a geometry, not a material, which is why one idea appears in three unrelated products.
306organizations
339solutions listed
69%from university labs
88%past proof of concept
Frequently asked questions
What are smart materials?
Smart and responsive materials covers a material that changes when something around it changes. It spans stimuli-responsive release triggered by pH, temperature or a biological signal, engineered surfaces that repel or release on demand, architected metamaterials, materials that report a state or switch conductivity, self-healing and reconfigurable polymers, structural color by self-assembly, and the informatics used to design any of it.
What are examples of smart materials?
Five examples of smart materials on Halo include:
- A one-step spray that keeps a toilet surface from holding anything. (spotLESS Materials, Inc.)
- Star polymers that open when a plant signals heat or reactive oxygen. (Carnegie Mellon University)
- A shear wall that dissipates energy and re-centers itself after the load. (University of Alberta)
- Fiber optics inside the bondline, reporting stress and where it is failing. (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
- Vitrimers with reversible crosslinks, degrading on a schedule in soil or sea. (Universidade Estadual de Campinas)
What are the latest smart materials innovations?
The most recently updated smart materials on Halo include:
- A hydrogel that binds red blood cells on contact with menstrual fluid. (Aegelys)
- A gel electrolyte that melts just past room temperature and switches conductivity. (North Carolina State University)
- Lattice strain used deliberately to stabilize a new electronic or magnetic phase. (The University of Oklahoma)
Which companies and suppliers are developing smart materials?
There are 306 organizations with smart materials on Halo, 114 of them universities and research institutions. Among them are spotLESS Materials, Inc., FLITE Material Sciences, and UC Berkeley. Most offer sponsored research or co-development. Sign up to see every organization working in the area and to send them your specific need.
How do I find smart materials research partners?
Browsing smart materials on Halo is free. Sign up to search the full network and save the ones you want. Post your specific need to get exact matches. Organizations reply directly on the platform.
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