Future of Supramolecular Copolymers Unveiled by Reflecting on Covalent Copolymerization

Abstract

Supramolecular copolymers are an emerging class of materials, and in the last years their potential has been demonstrated on a broad scale. Implementing noncovalent polymers with multiple components can bring together useful features such as dynamicity and new functionalities. However, mastering and tuning the microstructure of these systems is still an open challenge. In this Perspective, we aim to trace the general principles of supramolecular copolymerization by analyzing them through the lens of the well-established field of covalent copolymerization. Our goal is to delineate guidelines to classify and analyze supramolecular copolymers in order to create a fruitful platform to design and investigate new multicomponent systems.