Role of Supramolecular Chemistry in Smart Material Design

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-695-1_11How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Supramolecular chemistry; non-covalent interactions; smart materials; stimuli-responsive systems; host–guest chemistry; molecular recognition

Abstract

Supramolecular chemistry offers a transformative approach to designing materials that can respond dynamically to environmental changes through reversible, non-covalent interactions. These interactions—such as hydrogen bonding, metal coordination, host–guest inclusion, and π–π stacking—enable the construction of smart materials with modular architectures capable of sensing and adapting to external stimuli like light, temperature, pH, or redox conditions. By leveraging molecular recognition and self-assembly, researchers have developed materials with diverse functionalities, including selective sensors, targeted drug delivery vehicles, self-healing networks, light-driven actuators, and responsive optoelectronic devices. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of the principles, structural strategies, and real-world applications of supramolecular smart materials. Key design frameworks such as macro cycle-based host–guest systems, photo responsive polymers, and coordination networks are examined for their role in enhancing responsiveness and selectivity. Recent developments in adaptive frameworks, quantum dot assemblies, and AI-assisted molecular design are also discussed, illustrating the evolving landscape of material innovation. Despite their potential, supramolecular materials face limitations related to stability, large-scale manufacturing, and multi-stimuli interference. Overcoming these challenges requires improved synthesis protocols and interdisciplinary collaboration. As the field continues to advance, supramolecular strategies promise to enable the next generation of intelligent materials—capable of not only reacting to their environment but interacting with it in purposeful and programmable ways.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Suman Saini
AU  - Harish Kumar
AU  - Rita Kashyap
AU  - Jodh Singh
AU  - Mahapara Abbass
AU  - Shalom Akhai
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/30
TI  - Role of Supramolecular Chemistry in Smart Material Design
BT  - 2nd International Conference on Advanced Materials & Devices for Futuristic Applications-2024 (IC-AMDFA 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 184
EP  - 200
SN  - 2590-3217
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-695-1_11
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-695-1_11
ID  - Saini2026
ER  -