Cyclodextrins: Structure, function, and applications across industries Cyclodextrins, a fascinating class of cyclic oligosaccharides, have garnered significant attention due to their unique molecular structure and versatile applications in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and environmental science. Derived from starch through enzymatic reactions, cyclodextrins are composed of glucose monomers linked by alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds to form a ring-shaped structure. Their ability to form inclusion complexes with hydrophobic molecules makes them particularly useful in improving the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of otherwise poorly soluble substances. This article will explore the structure, classification, and applications of cyclodextrins in depth.

Chemists love to tinker with cyclodextrins (CDs)—macrocyclic daisy chains of glucose molecules that feature a hydrophobic core surrounded by a hydrophilic exterior. They’ve been used to encapsulate drugs, in air fresheners to sop up smelly molecules, and in water purification systems to capture and destroy micropollutants. Structure of alpha-L-cyclodextrin Now, more than 130 years after their discovery, CDs are finally getting a glimpse of their mirror image. For the first time, chemists have synthesized L-CDs using the unnatural sugar L-glucose.

Simple sugar sweetens the deal for improving performance of flow batteriesThe addition of a simple sugar, β-cyclodextrin, can boost the performance of flow batteries. A team from the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), dissolved the starch derivative in the flow b

The Advancements and Role of Cyclodextrins in Lithium-Ion Batteries The demand for efficient energy-storage solutions has led to a growing interest in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high energy and power density. LIBs have proven to be ideal for various applications, including electric vehicles and hybrid electronic devices.