Cyclic Polymers: Controlled Synthesis, Properties and Perspectives

Recently, cyclic polymers have attracted increasing interest due to their unique topologies, properties, and functions compared to the linear analogues. This mini-review focuses on the recent advances in the synthesis and applications of cyclic polymers. First, the main synthetic methods for cyclic polymers, namely ring closure and ring expansion methods, are presented and discussed, followed by a review on the exploration of the properties and applications of synthetic cyclic polymers. Finally, a critical assessment of the preliminary studies exploring the efficient synthesis and potential applications of cyclic polymers are presented, and the remaining challenges in the field as well as ideas for solving these challenges will be discussed.

Automated summary

Recently, there has been increasing interest in cyclic polymers due to their unique topologies, properties, and functions compared to linear analogues. This mini-review focuses on the recent advances in the synthesis and applications of cyclic polymers. It provides an overview of the main synthetic methods, such as ring closure and ring expansion, and discusses the exploration of properties and applications of synthetic cyclic polymers. Additionally, it critically assesses preliminary studies on the efficient synthesis and potential applications of cyclic polymers, and discusses the remaining challenges and possible solutions in the field.