Cyclodextrin-based polymer materials and their applications - A review covering a 20-year period
5 affiliations
- 1Université Marie et Louis Pasteur, Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, 16 route de Gray, 25000 Besançon, France
- 2Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, Dipartimento di Chimica, Bari, Italy
- 3University of Auckland, Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering, 1010, New Zealand
- 4Université du Littoral Côte D’Opale, Unité de Chimie Environnementale et Interactions sur le Vivant, 59140 Dunkerque, France
- 5Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, CNR, via Orabona 4, Bari, Italy
Abstract
Cyclodextrins (CDs) have undergone a remarkable evolution over the past three decades, transitioning from classical solubilizing agents to multifunctional platforms central to supramolecular chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and advanced materials engineering. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of CD research and applications covering a 20-year period, integrating bibliometric trends with advances in chemical macromolecular design, physical and mechanical properties, and application-driven innovation. We examine the maturation of CD chemistry from fundamental host-guest interactions to complex supramolecular architectures, including polymers, hydrogels, nanosponges, fibers, and new materials such as metal-organic frameworks. Particular emphasis is placed on the physicochemical, morphological, and mechanical properties that govern macroscopic performance, as well as on translational aspects such as regulatory approval, clinical adoption, and industrial scalability. Bibliometric evidence highlights a sustained growth in publications and citations, reflecting the field’s multidisciplinary consolidation across chemistry, pharmaceutics, materials science, and environmental engineering. Emerging themes, including sustainability and life cycle assessment, artificial intelligence-assisted design, and the redefinition of CD as active functional agents rather than passive excipients, are critically discussed. By contextualizing three decades of progress, this review identifies current limitations and outlines future directions necessary to advance CD-based materials toward next-generation, sustainable, and precision-engineered applications.
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BibTeX
@article{crini2026cyclodextrinbased,
title = {{Cyclodextrin-based polymer materials and their applications - A review covering a 20-year period}},
author = {Grégorio Crini and Dario Lacalamita and Chong Liu and Marc Fourmentin and Miriana Kfoury and Chiara Mongioví and Sophie Fourmentin and Nadia Morin‐Crini},
journal = {Progress in Polymer Science},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2026.102149},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2026.102149},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Cyclodextrin-based polymer materials and their applications - A review covering a 20-year period
AU - Grégorio Crini
AU - Dario Lacalamita
AU - Chong Liu
AU - Marc Fourmentin
AU - Miriana Kfoury
AU - Chiara Mongioví
AU - Sophie Fourmentin
AU - Nadia Morin‐Crini
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/12
JO - Progress in Polymer Science
DO - 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2026.102149
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2026.102149
AB - Cyclodextrins (CDs) have undergone a remarkable evolution over the past three decades, transitioning from classical solubilizing agents to multifunctional platforms central to supramolecular chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and advanced materials engineering. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of CD research and applications covering a 20-year period, integrating bibliometric trends with advances in chemical macromolecular design, physical and mechanical properties, and application-driven innovation. We examine the maturation of CD chemistry from fundamental host-guest interactions to complex supramolecular architectures, including polymers, hydrogels, nanosponges, fibers, and new materials such as metal-organic frameworks. Particular emphasis is placed on the physicochemical, morphological, and mechanical properties that govern macroscopic performance, as well as on translational aspects such as regulatory approval, clinical adoption, and industrial scalability. Bibliometric evidence highlights a sustained growth in publications and citations, reflecting the field’s multidisciplinary consolidation across chemistry, pharmaceutics, materials science, and environmental engineering. Emerging themes, including sustainability and life cycle assessment, artificial intelligence-assisted design, and the redefinition of CD as active functional agents rather than passive excipients, are critically discussed. By contextualizing three decades of progress, this review identifies current limitations and outlines future directions necessary to advance CD-based materials toward next-generation, sustainable, and precision-engineered applications.
SN - 0079-6700
SN - 1873-1619
ER -