Nonlinear Supramolecular Polymers for Therapeutic Applications

An elegant combination of supramolecular polymers exhibiting nonlinear topological structures results in a series of brand new, nonlinear supramolecular polymers. Recently, these polymers have attracted increased attention in various fields due to their diverse and advantageous properties. Especially in therapeutic applications, one can take advantage of their unique chemical, physical, and biological properties such as degradability and stimuli-responsiveness. Due to the large number of possible module modifications, such polymers have great potential as platforms in disease treatments. In this review, the structures, properties, and functions of different nonlinear supramolecular polymers are summarized. Current therapeutic applications are presented and the prospective design trends are discussed for promoting the development of nonlinear supramolecular polymers.