Cyclodextrin-assisted assembly of stimuli-responsive polymers in aqueous media

Abstract

This review explores the advances in stimuli-responsive polymeric inclusion complexes, comprising of cyclodextrins, in aqueous media. Cyclodextrin complexation allows these polymeric systems to possess tailored physical properties that permit them to form novel supramolecular structures. By including and combining stimuli-responsive characteristics, these special systems can transform into various morphologies when exposed to different kinds of external stimuli. A wide variety of these stimuli-responsive polyrotaxanes and functionalized cyclodextrin polymers that possess interesting supramolecular characteristics are discussed, with specific focus on pH-, temperature-, photo- and redox- sensitive systems. These unusual polymer/cyclodextrin systems provide a basis for many useful applications, such as drug delivery, environmentally friendly coatings, personal home care products, separation processes, food processing, and microelectronics.