Carborane-Containing Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Carboranes are an important class of electron-delocalized icosahedral carbon–boron clusters with unique physical and chemical properties, which can offer various functions to polymers including enhanced heat-resistance, tuned electronic properties and hydrophobicity, special ability of dihydrogen bond formation, and thermal neutron capture. Carborane-containing polymers have been synthesized mainly by means of step-growth polymerizations of disubstituted carborane monomers, with chain-growth polymerizations of monosubstituted carborane monomers including ATRP, RAFT, and ROMP only utilized recently. Carborane-containing polymers may find application as harsh-environment resistant materials, ceramic precursors, fluorescent materials with tuned emissive properties, novel optoelectronic devices, potential BNCT agents, and drug carriers with low cytotoxicity. This review highlights carborane-containing polymer synthesis strategies and potential applications, showcasing the versatile properties and possibilities that this unique family of boron compounds can provide to the polymeric systems.