Supramolecular polymers are made of repeating units held together by only non-covalent bonds through monomers M

2

which are different with those molecular polymers composed of repeating units held together by covalent bonds through monomers M

1

. Polymerizations include molecular polymerization and supramolecular polymerization. Supramolecular polymerization as one of the molecular self-assembly processes describes the formation of supramolecular polymer chain through non-covalent bonds. Due to the difference between molecular polymerization and supramolecular polymerization from monomers used

molecular recognition

polymerization reversibility and entropy-driving features

three main supramolecular polymerization mechanisms

linear chain growth

helical chain growth

and topological chain growth

were analyzed and discussed.