Self-assembly and applications of poly(glycidyl methacrylate)s and their derivatives

In this feature article, we give an overview of the preparation and application of self-assembled architectures based on an emerging area of polymers, i.e., poly(glycidyl methacrylate)s (PGMAs) and their derivatives. A series of PGMA-based aggregates and hybrids, such as micelles, reverse micelles, capsules, nanoparticles, and inorganic organic hybrid materials, has been constructed; and diverse morphologies were formed, driven by hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, ionic complexation, host-guest interactions, etc. In particular, the assemblies have shown great potential applications as drug vectors, gene vectors, solubilizing agents, antimicrobial agent, and so forth. Herein, the general guidelines are elaborately selected from literature examples and partially from our own. Although still in its infancy, self-assembly of PGMA-based polymers is expected to become a hot topic in polymer chemistry and materials science.