Covalent polymers connected by non-covalent interactions constitute a fascinating set of materials known as supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs). A key feature of SPNs is that the underlying covalent polymers endow the resulting self-assembled materials with features, such as structural and mechanical integrity, good processability, recyclability, stimuli-responsiveness, self-healing, and shape memory, that are not recapitulated in the case of classic covalent polymer systems. The unique nature of SPNs derives from the controlled marriage of traditional covalent polymers and macrocycle-based host−guest interactions. As a consequence, supramolecular polymeric networks have played important roles in a number of diverse fields, including polymer science, supramolecular chemistry, materials science, biomedical materials, and information storage technology. In this Review, we summarize advances made in the area of functional SPNs, with a focus on original literature reports appearing in the past five years. The treatment is organized according to the key macrocycle-based host−guest interactions used to produce various SPNs. The role of the underlying polymer backbones is also discussed.

A supramolecular cross-linked network was fabricated and demonstrated to act as a multiple fluorescent sensor. It was constructed from a fluorescent conjugated polymer and a bisammonium salt cross-linker driven by dibenzo[24]crown-8/secondary ammonium salt host-guest interactions. Compared with the conjugated polymer, the network has weak fluorescence due to the aggregation of polymer chains. Thanks to the multiple stimuli-responsiveness of host-guest interactions, the fluorescence intensity of the system can be enhanced by four types of signals, including potassium cation, chloride anion, pH increase, and heating. Hence, the network can serve as a cation sensor, an anion sensor, a pH sensor, and a temperature sensor. It can be used in both solution and thin film. Interestingly, exposure of a film made from this supramolecular cross-linked network to ammonia leads to an increase of fluorescence, making it a good candidate for gas detection.

Macromolecular supra-amphiphiles refer to a kind of macromolecular amphiphiles whose hydrophlic and hydrophobic parts are connected by noncovalent forces. They have applications in various fields, such as drug delivery, sensor systems, and biomedical materials. Here we report a novel molecular recognition motif between a new thermoresponsive water-soluble pillar[7]arene (WP7) and an azobenzene derivative. Furthermore, we utilized this recognition motif to construct the first pillararene-based supra-amphiphilic polypseudorotaxane which can self-assemble to form vesicles in water. Due to the dual-responsiveness of the molecular recognition motif (the thermoresponsiveness of WP7 and photoresponsiveness of azobenzene), the reversible transformations between solid nanospheres based on the self-assembly of the polymer backbone and vesicles based on the self-assembly of the supra-amphiphilic polypseudorotaxane were achieved by adjusting the solution temperature or UV-visible light irradiation. These dual-responsive aggregation behaviors were further used in the controlled release of water-soluble dye calcein molecules.

This review describes recent progress in adhesive supramolecular polymeric materials constructed from macrocycle-based host–guest interactions.