Synthesis of supramolecular polymer based on noncovalent host-guest inclusion complexation and its reversible self-assembly

A multi-responsive supramolecular polymer, beta-CD-(PNIPAAm)(4)-Azo-(PMAA)(7), is demonstrated here. This amphiphilic polymer can be achieved by altering the pH or temperature of a solution of the supramolecular polymer system. Absorption and emission spectroscopy, solution transmittance, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied. It was found that beta-CD-(PNIPAAm)(4)-Azo-(PMAA)(7) can self-assemble into inverse spherical polymeric nanoaggregates and can then disassemble reversibly under the irradiation of UV light due to the trans-to-cis isomerization of the azo groups. The resulting supramolecular polymer is demonstrated to have useful properties, including self-aggregation, supramolecular gelation and stimulus-responsive behavior.