Can Supramolecular Interactions Be Used to Create Stable Polymer Nanoparticles?

Polymeric nanoparticles have attracted significant attention due to their promising applications in the fields of drug transportation and medical imaging.  Generally, nanoparticles consist of a stabilizing hydrophilic outer shell and a hydrophobic inner core.  In this talk, we report on the ability of supramolecular interactions to stabilize hydrophobic polymers in an aqueous solution.  Furthermore, we illustrate that the responsive nature of supramolecular interactions may be used to impart responsiveness to the polymeric nanoparticle.