Cucurbit[n]uril-based supramolecular hydrogels: Synthesis, properties and applications

Due to their dynamic qualities and potential uses in fields such as biomedicine, tissue engineering, drug delivery, soft materials, and sensing, hydrogels have gained increased attention in recent years. Concurrently, the application of cucurbit[n]uril-based host-guest interactions has been crucial in advancing the field of supramolecular chemistry. Given this, there has been a growing number of reports in the literature regarding the formation of hydrogels that are mediated by host-guest interactions between various cucurbit[n]urils and their guests. This review aims to present comprehensive insights into the creation and advancement of supramolecular hydrogels utilizing cucurbit[n]uril-mediated design strategies. Firstly, supramolecular hydrogels formed via different construction methods with cucurbit[n]urils are classified, including (i) outer surface interaction construction and (ii) host-guest construction. Next, the excellent properties possessed by hydrogels, namely biocompatibility, stimulus responsiveness, and self-healing, are discussed. Finally, the different hydrogels are classified according to their applications, with a focus on their biomedical use. We believe that this review highlights the potential for further research based on host-guest interaction-mediated hydrogels.