Cyclodextrins-based Polyrotaxanes: From Functional Polymers to Applications in Electronics and Energy Storage Materials

The concept of polyrotaxane comes from the rotaxane structure in the supramolecular field. It is a mechanically interlocked supramolecular assembly composed of linear polymer chains and cyclic molecules. Over recent decades, the synthesis and application of polyrotaxanes have seen remarkable growth. Particularly, cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxanes have been extensively reported due to the low-price raw materials, good biocompatibility, and ease of modification. Hence, it is also one of the most promising mechanically interlocking supramolecules for wide industrialization in the future. Polyrotaxanes are widely introduced into materials such as elastomers, hydrogels, and engineering polymers to improve their mechanical properties or impart functionality to the materials. In these materials, polyrotaxane acts as a slidable cross-linker to dissipate energy through sliding or assist in dispersing stress concentration in the cross-linked network, thereby enhancing the toughness of the materials. Further, the unique sliding-ring effect of cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxanes has pioneered advancements in stretchable electronics and energy storage materials. This includes their innovative use in stretchable conductive composite and binders for anodes, addressing critical challenges in these fields. In this mini-review, our focus is to highlight the current progress and potential wider applications in the future, underlining their transformative impact across various domains of material science.

Hierarchically Templated Synthesis of 3D-Printed Crosslinked Cyclodextrins for Lycopene Harvesting

Plants produce a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals, such as antioxidants and vitamins, which play crucial roles in aging prevention, inflammation reduction, and reducing the risk of cancer. Selectively harvesting these phytochemicals, such as lycopene, from tomatoes through the adsorption method is cost-effective and energy efficient. In this work, a templated synthesis of 3D-printed crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers featuring nanotubular structures for highly selective lycopene harvesting is reported. Polypseudorotaxanes formed by triethoxysilane-based telechelic polyethylene glycols and α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) are designed as the template to (1) synthetically access urethane-based nanotubular structures at the molecular level, and (2) construct 3D-printed architectures with designed macroscale voids. The polypseudorotaxane hydrogels showed good rheological properties for direct ink writing, and the 3D-printed hydrogels were converted to the desired α-CD polymer network through a three-step postprinting transformation. The obtained urethane-crosslinked α-CD monoliths possess nanotubular structures and 3D-printed voids. They selectively adsorb lycopene from raw tomato juice, protecting lycopene from photo- or thermo-degradations. This work highlights the hierarchically templated synthesis approach in developing functional 3D-printing materials by connecting the bottom-up molecular assembly and synthesis with the top-down 3D architecture control and fabrication.

Molecular Mobility of Polyrotaxane Surfaces Alleviates Oxidative Stress-Induced Senescence in Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Polyrotaxane is a supramolecular assembly consisting of multiple cyclic molecules threaded by a linear polymer. One of the unique properties of polyrotaxane is molecular mobility, cyclic molecules moving along the linear polymer. Molecular mobility of polyrotaxane surfaces affects cell spreading, differentiation, and other cell-related aspects through changing subcellular localization of yes-associated proteins (YAPs). Subcellular YAP localization is also related to cell senescence derived from oxidative stress, which is known to cause cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Herein, the effects of polyrotaxane surface molecular mobility on subcellular YAP localization and cell senescence following H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress are evaluated in human mesenchymal stem cells (HMSCs) cultured on polyrotaxane surfaces with different molecular mobilities. Oxidative stress promotes cytoplasmic YAP localization in HMSCs on high-mobility polyrotaxane surfaces; however, low-mobility polyrotaxane surfaces more effectively maintain nuclear YAP localization, exhibiting lower senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and senescence-related gene expression and DNA damage than that seen with the high-mobility surfaces. These results suggest that the molecular mobility of polyrotaxane surfaces regulates subcellular YAP localization, thereby protecting HMSCs from oxidative stress-induced cell senescence. Applying the molecular mobility of polyrotaxane surfaces to implantable scaffolds can provide insights into the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Pressure-Sensitive Supramolecular Adhesives Based on Lipoic Acid and Biofriendly Dynamic Cyclodextrin and Polyrotaxane Cross-Linkers

Slide-ring materials are polymer networks with mobile cross-links that exhibit impressive stress dissipation and fracture resistance owing to the pulley effect. On account of their remarkable ability to dissipate the energy of deformation, these materials have found their way into advanced materials such as abrasion-resistant coatings and elastic battery electrode binders. In this work, we explore the role of mobile cross-links on the properties of a biofriendly pressure-sensitive adhesive made using composites of cyclodextrin-based macromolecules and poly(lipoic acid). We modify cyclodextrin-based hosts and polyrotaxanes with pendant groups of lipoic acid (a commonly ingested antioxidant) to incorporate them as cross-links in poly(lipoic acid) networks obtained by simple heating in open air. By systematically varying the adhesive formulations while probing their mechanical and adhesive properties, we uncover trends in structure-property relationships that enable one to tune network properties and access biofriendly, high-tack adhesives.

Bioinspired Oxidation-Resistant Catechol-like Sliding Ring Polyrotaxane Hydrogels

Adaptable hydrogels have been used in the biomedical field to address several pathologies, especially those regarding tissue defects. Here, we describe unprecedented catechol-like functionalized polyrotaxane (PR) polymers able to form hydrogels. PR were functionalized with the incorporation of hydroxypyridinone (HOPO) moieties into the polymer backbone, with a degree of substitution from 4 to 22%, depending on the PR type. The hydrogels form through the functionalized supramolecular systems when in contact with a Fe(III) solution. Despite the hydrogel formation being at physiological pH (7.4), the HOPO derivatives are extremely resistant to oxidation, unlike common catechols; consequently, they prevent the formation of quinones, which can lead to irreversible bounds within the matrix. The resulting hydrogels demonstrated properties lead to unique hydrogels with improved mechanical behavior obtained by metallic coordination crosslinking, due to the synergies of the sliding-ring PR and the non-covalent (reversible) catechol analogues. Following this strategy, we successfully developed innovative, cytocompatible, oxidative-resistant, and reversible crosslinked hydrogels, with the potential of being used as structural self-materials for a variety of applications, including in the biomedical field.

Slidable Cross-Linking Effect on Liquid Crystal Elastomers: Enhancement of Toughness, Shape-Memory, and Self-Healing Properties

The network structures of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are crucial to impart rubbery behavior to LCEs and enable reversible actuation. Most LCEs developed to date are covalently linked, implying that the cross-links are fixed at a particular position. Herein, we report a new class of LCEs integrating polyrotaxanes (PRs) as slidable cross-links (PR-LCEs). Interestingly, the incorporation of a low loading (0.3-2.0 wt %) of the PR cross-linkers to the LCE causes a significant impact on various properties of the resulting PR-LCEs due to the pulley effect. The optimum PR loading is determined to be 0.5 wt %, at which point the toughness and damping behavior are maximized. The robust mechanical properties of the PR-LCE offers a superior actuation performance to that of the pristine LCE along with an excellent quadruple shape-memory effect. Furthermore, the incorporation of PR is useful to enhance the efficiency of shape-memory-assisted self-healing when heating above the nematic-isotropic transition.

A Pyrene-Poly(acrylic acid)-Polyrotaxane Supramolecular Binder Network for High-Performance Silicon Negative Electrodes

Although being incorporated in commercial lithium-ion batteries for a while, the weight portion of silicon monoxide (SiO_x , x ≈ 1) is only less than 10 wt% due to the insufficient cycle life. Along this line, polymeric binders that can assist in maintaining the mechanical integrity and interfacial stability of SiO_x electrodes are desired to realize higher contents of SiO_x . Herein, a pyrene-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-polyrotaxane (PR) supramolecular network is reported as a polymeric binder for SiO_x with 100 wt%. The noncovalent functionalization of a carbon coating layer on the SiO_x is achieved by using a hydroxylated pyrene derivative via the π-π stacking interaction, which simultaneously enables hydrogen bonding interactions with the PR-PAA network through its hydroxyl moiety. Moreover, the PR's ring sliding while being crosslinked to PAA endows a high elasticity to the entire polymer network, effectively buffering the volume expansion of SiO_x and largely mitigating the electrode swelling. Based on these extraordinary physicochemical properties of the pyrene-PAA-PR supramolecular binder, the robust cycling of SiO_x electrodes is demonstrated at commercial levels of areal loading in both half-cell and full-cell configurations.

Suspending Polyrotaxane Dissociation via Photo-Reversible Capping of Terminals

Reversible covalent bonds yield polymeric materials with functional characteristics such as self-healing, shape memory, stress relaxation, and stimuli-responsiveness. Here, photo-reversibly cappable polyrotaxanes are designed and the on-off controlled dissociation of their supramolecular architectures is demonstrated. The polyrotaxanes are synthesized by capping dithiobenzoates at both terminals of polyethylene glycol threaded through multiple α-cyclodextrins. Since dethreading of the α-cyclodextrins is prevented by the dithiobenzoate stoppers, the supramolecular dissociation is induced by their photo-cleavage. Subsequently, the cleaved dithiobenzoates spontaneously re-cap the polyrotaxane terminals in darkness. Thus, the supramolecular dissociation can be modulated by photo-reversible capping of the dithiobenzoate stoppers. These polyrotaxanes with dithiobenzoate stoppers are promising functional materials for photo-controlling physical properties and structures.

Glycopolymers Made from Polyrotaxanes Terminated with Bile Acids: Preparation, Self-Assembly, and Targeting Delivery

The use of natural compounds to construct biomaterials, including delivery system, is an attractive strategy. In the present study, through threading functional α-cyclodextrins onto the conjugated macromolecules of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and natural compound bile acid, glycopolymers of polyrotaxanes with the active targeting ability are obtained. These glycopolymers self-assemble into micelles as evidenced by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, in which glucosamine, as an example of targeting groups, is introduced. These micelles after loading doxorubicin (DOX) exhibit the selective recognition with cancer cells 4T1. Meanwhile, the maximal half inhibitory concentration is determined to be ≈2.5 mg L^-1 for the DOX-loaded micelles, close to the value of free DOX·HCl (1.9 mg L^-1 ). The cumulative release of DOX at pH 5.5 is faster than at pH 7.4, which may be used as the controlled release system. This drug delivery system assembled by glycopolymers features high drug loading of DOX, superior biocompatibility. The strategy not only utilizes the micellization induced by bile acids, but also overcomes the major limitation of PEG such as the lack of targeting groups. In particular, this drug delivery platform can extend to grafting the other targeting groups, rendering this system more versatile.

Synthesis and photophysical characteristics of polyfluorene polyrotaxanes

Two alternating polyfluorene polyrotaxanes (3·TM-βCD and 3·TM-γCD) have been synthesized by the coupling of 2,7-dibromofluorene encapsulated into 2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-β- or γ-cyclodextrin (TM-βCD, TM-γCD) cavities with 9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diboronic acid bis(1,3-propanediol) ester. Their optical, electrochemical and morphological properties have been evaluated and compared to those of the non-rotaxane counterpart 3. The influence of TM-βCD or TM-γCD encapsulation on the thermal stability, solubility in common organic solvents, film forming ability was also investigated. Polyrotaxane 3·TM-βCD exhibits a hypsochromic shift, while 3·TM-γCD displays a bathochromic with respect to the non-rotaxane 3 counterpart. For the diluted CHCl₃ solutions the fluorescence lifetimes of all compounds follow a mono-exponential decay with a time constant of ≈0.6 ns. At higher concentration the fluorescence decay remains mono-exponential for 3·TM-βCD and polymers 3, with a lifetime τ = 0.7 ns and 0.8 ns, whereas the 3·TM-γCD polyrotaxane shows a bi-exponential decay consisting of a main component (with a weight of 98% of the total luminescence) with a relatively short decay constant of τ₁ = 0.7 ns and a minor component with a longer lifetime of τ₂ = 5.4 ns (2%). The electrochemical band gap (ΔE_g) of 3·TM-βCD polyrotaxane is smaller than that of 3·TM-γCD and 3, respectively. The lower ΔE_g value for 3·TM-βCD suggests that the encapsulation has a greater effect on the reduction process, which affects the LUMO energy level value. Based on AFM analysis, 3·TM-βCD and 3·TM-γCD polyrotaxane compounds exhibit a granular morphology with lower dispersity and smaller roughness exponent of the film surfaces in comparison with those of the neat copolymer 3.

Structural Transformation of ZnII -Dipyridylamide-Based Coordination Frameworks: Hybrid-Ligand and Metal Effects

A series of one-dimensional (1D) double-zigzag ({[Zn(papx)₂ (H₂ O)₂ ](ClO₄ )₂ }_n (x=so 1, sc 3, oc 5, and soc 7) and 2D polyrotaxane ([Zn(papx)₂ (ClO₄ )₂ ]_n (x=so 2, sc 4, oc 6, and soc 8) frameworks are synthesized by the reactions of Zn(ClO₄ )₂ with equimolar amounts of papx (i.e., papso=1/2paps+1/2papo, papsc=1/2paps+1/2papc, papoc=1/2papo+1/2papc, and papsoc=1/3paps+1/3papo+1/3papc; paps=N,N'-bis(pyridylcarbonyl)-4,4'-diaminodiphenyl thioether, papo=N,N'-bis(pyridylcarbonyl)-4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether, papc=N,N'-(methylenedi-p-phenylene)bispyridine-4-carboxamide). The new frameworks are isolated and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction studies, elemental analysis, and ¹ H NMR spectroscopy. In addition, synthesis and structural characterization of 2D polyrotaxane frameworks of [Cu(papx)₂ (ClO₄ )₂ ]_n (x=s 9, o 10, and c 11) by the reaction of Cu(ClO₄ )₂ with the respective dipyridylamide ligands are carried out. Based on the PXRD experiments, upon heating, the double-zigzag frameworks of 1, 3, 5, and 7 undergo structural transformation to give the respective polyrotaxane frameworks of 2, 4, 6, and 8. Moreover, grinding the solid samples of 2, 4, 6, and 8 in the presence of moisture also result in the total conversion back into the double-zigzag frameworks of 1, 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Remarkably, grinding the solid samples of polyrotaxane frameworks of 9 and 10 in the presence of moisture fails to induce a structural transformation process.

Polysiloxane ionic liquids as good solvents for β-cyclodextrin-polydimethylsiloxane polyrotaxane structures

An ionic liquid based on polydimethylsiloxane with imidazolium salt brushes was synthesized as a good solvent for β-cyclodextrin-polydimethylsiloxane rotaxane. As expected the PDMS-Im/Br ionic liquid had a liquid-like non-Newtonian behavior with rheological parameters dependent on frequency and temperature. The addition of rotaxane to the ionic liquid strengthened the non-Newtonian character of the sample and a type of stable liquid-like network was formed due to the contribution of weak ionic interactions. The structure is stable in the 20 to 80 °C domain as proved by the oscillatory and rotational rheological tests.

Synthesis and characterization of low-molecular-weight π-conjugated polymers covered by persilylated β-cyclodextrin

The paper reports the preparation of a poly[2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-alt-5,5'-bithiophene/PS-βCD] (PDOF-BTc) polyrotaxane copolymer, through a Suzuki coupling reaction between the 5,5^'-dibromo-2,2'-bithiophene (BT) inclusion complex with persilylated β-cyclodextrin (PS-βCD), and 9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-bis(trimethylene borate) (DOF) as the blocking group. The chemical structure and the thermal and morphological properties of the resulting polyrotaxane were investigated by using NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, DSC and AFM analysis. The encapsulation of BT inside the PS-βCD cavity results in improvements in the solubility, as well as in different surface morphology and thermal properties of the PDOF-BTc rotaxane copolymer compared to its noncomplexed PDOF-BT homologue. In contrast, the number-average molecular weight (M_n) of PDOF-BTc rotaxane copolymer indicated lower values suggesting that the condensation reaction is subjected to steric effects of the bulkier silylated groups, affecting the ability of the diborate groups from the DOF molecule to partially penetrate the PS-βCD cavity.

Efficient production of [n]rotaxanes by using template-directed clipping reactions

In this article, we report on the efficient synthesis of well defined, homogeneous [n]rotaxanes (n up to 11) by a template-directed thermodynamic clipping approach. By employing dynamic covalent chemistry in the form of reversible imine bond formation, [n]rotaxanes with dialkylammonium ion (-CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2)-) recognition sites, encircled by [24]crown-8 rings, were prepared by a thermodynamically controlled, template-directed clipping procedure, that is, by mixing together a dumbbell compound containing a discrete number of CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2)- ion centers with appropriate amounts of a dialdehyde and a diamine to facilitate the [n]rotaxane formation. A 21-component self-assembly process is operative during the formation of the [11]rotaxane. The oligomeric dumbbells containing CH(2)NH(2)(+)CH(2)- ion recognition sites were prepared by a stepwise protocol. Several of the dynamic [n]rotaxanes were converted into their kinetically stable counterparts, first by reduction ("fixing") of imine bonds with the BH(3).THF complex, then by protonation of the complex by addition of acid.