Multi-stimuli sensitive supramolecular hydrogel formed by host–guest interaction between PNIPAM-Azo and cyclodextrin dimers

We reported here a novel three stimuli sensitive hydrogel that was constructed by the formation of host–guest complexes between poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) containing azobenzene groups and cyclodextrin dimers connected by disulfide bonds. The obtained hydrogel gives a smart response to the stimuli of temperature, light, and reduction, manifested in the form of a sol–gel phase transition.