Abstract
Polydopamine (PDA), the final oxidation product of dopamine or other catecholamines, attracted much attention as versatile coatings that can be used to cover the surface of almost all materials with a conformal layer of adjustable thickness ranging from a few to about 100 nm. These PDA layers can be subsequently modified with molecules carrying nucleophilic groups or with metallic nanoparticles from solutions containing metallic cations. However, during the deposition of PDA film on the surfaces, the reaction products that are simultaneously obtained from the oxidation of catecholamines in solution precipitate. Hence, some recent effort has been devoted to produce PDA in the form of nanoparticles. The aim of this short review is to give a comprehensive description of the synthesis methods yielding of PDA nanoparticles in the absence or in the presence of templating agents (polymers, polyelectrolytes, surfactants, proteins, and even some small organic molecules). We will also describe the use of thin PDA layers to coat already synthesized nanoparticles or nanotubes. Finally, several first applications of the obtained PDA nanoparticles will be described.
Highlights
Specialty section: This article was submitted to Biomaterials, a section of the journal Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Some recent effort has been devoted to produce PDA in the form of nanoparticles. The aim of this short review is to give a comprehensive description of the synthesis methods yielding of PDA nanoparticles in the absence or in the presence of templating agents
The obtained coatings, even if their thickness can be finely tuned, are often not stable enough for long-term applications. This is to say that the development of versatile coating methods that are able to functionalize on a vast repertoire of material surfaces, appearing possible with the development of catecholamine-based coatings, was a major advance in surface science (Lee et al, 2007; Kang et al, 2009; Hong et al, 2013)
Summary
During the whole of the Twentieth century, guided by technological requirements, surface science was characterized by the development of surface modification methods, such as the protection against corrosion and the development of anti-adhesive coatings. The obtained coatings, even if their thickness can be finely tuned (by altering the number of deposition steps or the physicochemical parameters of the solution), are often not stable enough for long-term applications (though chemical crosslinking may reinforce these coatings) This is to say that the development of versatile coating methods that are able to functionalize on a vast repertoire of material surfaces, appearing possible with the development of catecholamine-based coatings, was a major advance in surface science (Lee et al, 2007; Kang et al, 2009; Hong et al, 2013). Some attention will be given to the use of PDA to coat already formed nanoparticles or nanotubes
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