Cyclodextrin, as a good water-soluble and biocompatible macrocycle, has attracted much attention due to its specific bonding with inorganic/organic/biological substrates. While combining the advantages of solid's elasticity and liquid's mobility, the gels are widely applied in many fields. The supramolecular gels based on cyclodextrin stand out in the field of soft materials due to the integration of the advantages of cyclodextrin and gel, Therefore, this review embarking upon the construction of cyclodextrin gels, discusses the driving force of their formation such as hydrogen bonding, host-guest bonding and ion interaction. Then the latest research on the functions of supramolecular cyclodextrin gels including biological/sensing/adsorption/smart materials including sliding materials are reviewed, which provide an outlook for the construction and functions of new cyclodextrin gels. Finally, the development and application of cyclodextrin gel materials are discussed and prospected.
Contents
1 Introduction
2 Construction of cyclodextrin supramolecular gels
2.1 Hydrogen bonding
2.2 Host-guest complexation
2.3 Ionic interaction
3 Application of cyclodextrin supramolecular gels
3.1 Biological applications
3.2 Sensors
3.3 Removal of pollutants in water environment
3.4 Smart materials
4 Conclusion