Molecular engineering of polymeric supra-amphiphiles

• Published in: Chemical Society reviews 2019-02, Vol.48 (4), p.989-13
• Main Authors: Chang, Yincheng, Jiao, Yang, Symons, Henry E, Xu, Jiang-Fei, Faul, Charl F. J, Zhang, Xi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Colloid chemistry; Covalent bonds; Drug delivery systems; Organic chemistry; Polymer chemistry; Segments; Structural stability
• ISSN: 0306-0012; 1460-4744
• DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00806j

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 are advantageous in that they possess dynamic features and their preparation may be to some extent more facile. 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, is 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 practical applications, especially in drug delivery. 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.