Hyperbranched polymers (HPs) are
a subclass of dendritic polymers,
having globular and highly branched structure, containing a number
of functional groups emerging from a core. The core contains more
than two functional sites where the growing branches are connected,
resulting in the formation of a 3D macromolecule comprising a large
number of peripheral groups. Their versatile properties and facile
structural modifications have attracted considerable attention of
researchers. HPs have been used in various applications such as coatings,
drug delivery, nanotechnology, additives, sensors, solar cells, an
so forth. Thus, this review emphasizes recent structural modifications
of HPs that result in enhancement of existing or newly emerging properties.
In addition, these modifications have broadened the use of HPs in
various advanced technologies such as biological applications, storage
devices, energy convertors, catalysis, and so forth, which have not
been covered in earlier reviews. Furthermore, this article discusses
the limitations associated with their fabrication and application
in various fields.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.