The article reviews smart materials configured for actuation, artificial channels, and pore sensing. The electroactive polymers (EAPs, also referred to as inherently conductive polymers) are outlined with polypyrrole (PPy) as the main example. Next, the PPy nanofabrication by template-synthesis is briefly outlined. This mini-review concludes with several recently reported functionalized nanotube membranes as examples of artificial membrane-supported ion channels.
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