Abstract
Polymeric supra-amphiphiles are amphiphiles that are fabricated by linking polymeric segments, or small molecules and polymeric segments, by noncovalent interactions or dynamic covalent bonds. Compared with conventional amphiphilic polymers, polymeric supra-amphiphiles possess the advantages of facile preparation to some extent and dynamic features. Moreover, polymeric supra-amphiphiles are endowed with richer structure and higher stability compared with small-molecule supra-amphiphiles. Owing to these properties, polymeric supra-amphiphiles have so far shown great promise as surfactants, nanocarriers and in therapies. In this tutorial review, recent work on polymeric supra-amphiphiles, from molecular architectures to functional assemblies, are presented and summarized. Different polymeric supra-amphiphile topologies and related applications are highlighted. By combining polymer chemistry with supramolecular chemistry and colloid science, we anticipate that the study of polymeric supra-amphiphiles will promote the continued development of the molecular engineering of functional supramolecular systems, and lead to applications, especially in drug delivery.
Original language | English |
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Article number | DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00806j |
Pages (from-to) | 989-1003 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Chemical Society Reviews |
Volume | 48 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 25 Jan 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 25 Jan 2019 |