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AbstractDue to their natural biocompatibility, cost-effectiveness, and strong interfacial adhesion, biopolymers have highly favorable properties for electrochemical biosensors. Due to this endogenous catecholamine’s versatile chemistry, dopamine’s oxidation and self-polymerization have recently attracted considerable interest. Polydopamine (PDA)’s application to surface deposition, molecular imprinting, and electrochemistry is especially noteworthy. This review aims to propose the role of PDA in quantitative applications, evaluate the analytical performance, cost, reproducibility, and versatility of the methods developed, and evaluate standard (bio)analytical platforms. First, the parameters and methods that influence the polymerization of dopamine are discussed. Then, different functionalities of PDA and its recent applications for different biosensing purposes are reviewed to build bioanalytical platforms. The discussion concludes with emerging applications of PDA-integrated biosensor platforms. Finally, future perspectives for improved use of PDA in bioanalytical applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc batteries offer promising prospects for large-scale energy storage, yet their application is limited by undesired side reactions at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Here, we report a universal approach for the in situ building of an electrode/electrolyte interphase (EEI) layer on both the cathode and the anode through the self-polymerization of electrolyte additives. In an exemplified Zn||V2O5·nH2O cell, we reveal that the glutamate additive undergoes radical-initiated electro-polymerization on the cathode and polycondensation on the anode, yielding polyglutamic acid-dominated EEI layers on both electrodes. These EEI layers effectively mitigate undesired interfacial side reactions while enhancing reaction kinetics, enabling Zn||V2O5·nH2O cells to achieve a high capacity of 387 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 and maintain >96.3% capacity retention after 1500 cycles at 1 A g−1. Moreover, this interphase-forming additive exhibits broad applicability to varied cathode materials, encompassing VS2, VS4, VO2, α-MnO2, β-MnO2 and δ-MnO2. The methodology of utilizing self-polymerizable electrolyte additives to construct robust EEI layers opens a novel pathway in interphase engineering for electrode stabilization in aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nowadays, researchers are looking for green synthesis methods of polymers that solve the disadvantages of polymerization with different initiators and traditional methods. In this work, the self-polymerization process of benzidine by anodic exfloated graphene oxide Nanosheet electrode (AEGO Nsh) is reported for the first time in the world. The self-polymerization of benzidine onto AEGO Nsh electrode was done by an easy and simple method by anodizing the graphite sheet followed by immersing the AEGO Nsh electrode inside the benzidine monomer dissolved in organic and inorganic acid media. The surface morphology of the self-polymerized benzidine (SPB) onto the AEGO Nsh (SPB/AEGO Nsh) electrode was investigated by phone camera and scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) imaging. The chemical characterization of the SPB/AEGO Nsh electrode was verified through XPS and ATR-IR analysis. Additionally, the self-polymerization of benzidine onto AEGO Nsh electrodes was confirmed by electrochemical tests using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The results from these investigations unequivocally confirm the self-polymerization of benzidine onto the AEGO Nsh electrode.

Surface segregation method, as an in situ method for simultaneous modification of membrane external surfaces and inner pore surfaces, has been more commonly employed to fabricate antifouling membranes. In this study, dopamine (DA) with self‐polymerization and bio‐adhesion ability is chosen as a surface segregation agent to fabricate antifouling polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane for oil‐in‐water emulsions separation through synergistically regulating phase inversion, self‐polymerization of DA, and surface segregation of poly‐dopamine (PDA). During the phase inversion process, DA contacts with an alkaline coagulation bath to trigger self‐polymerization of DA, then the surface segregation of PDA proceeds spontaneously. The addition and self‐polymerization of DA can regulate the phase inversion process to acquire membranes with high porosity, as a result, the water permeance is increased from 134 to 538 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 with the oil rejection higher than 99.8%. Because the hydrophilic PDA layer on membrane and pore surfaces leads to a robust hydration layer, the membrane exhibits super‐oleophobicity underwater and excellent antifouling properties with water recovery ratio of more than 99.4%. This study may open a new route to preparing antifouling membranes by using small molecules as surface segregation agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted much interest to realize safe rechargeable batteries with high safety and high energy density. However, it is still challenging to address dendrite growth and parasitic reactions in zinc anodes. We propose herein the design concept of hydrogen bond-induced elastic polyzwitterion electrolytes with zincophilic groups for achieving robust ZIBs. Mussel-inspired autopolymerization has been developed to construct the polyzwitterion electrolytes at room temperature by inducing electron density delocalization at α-position of C=C bond in zwitterion monomer by Zn2+. Specifically, the zwitterionic functional groups construct ion transport channels, and the unique–NH–and SO3− groups co-compete with H2O for coordination with Zn2+ and promote the desolvation of hydrated Zn2+, thus achieving a high room temperature ionic conductivity (6.7 mS cm−1) and an increased Zn2+ migration number (0.65) for the polyzwitterion electrolytes. In addition, various interactions such as hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between electrolyte ions and zwitterionic groups impart high stretchability and strength to the polyzwitterion electrolytes, which, combined with SO3− philic (002) crystallographic properties, effectively inhibit the growth of zinc dendrites. As a result, rigid/wearable solid-state ZIBs exhibit excellent cycling and C-rate performances. We believe that the strategy of constructing polyzwitterionic electrolytes with zincophilic groups and ion transport channels opens up a new direction in polymer electrolyte engineering towards safe and high energy batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydopamine (PDA) is discovered as a biopolymer that obtained by oxide polymerization of dopamine (DA) in alkaline environment. PDA has unique characteristics such as exceptional adhesiveness, metal chelation, and excellent biocompatibility. In recent years, PDA has been extensively utilized in various area such as biomedicine, materials science and food technology, etc. In present work, different methods of PDA preparation are summarized such as enzymatic oxidation, electro-polymerization and chemical oxidation, and the mechanism of PDA polymerization is discussed using covalent polymerization and supermolecule aggregates. Accordingly, the different self-polymerized PDA nanostructures are classified as nano-coating, nanoparticles, nano-capsules, mesoporous and porous PDA to analysis their advances in functional food packaging, immobilized enzyme, food detection and active substance delivery. In addition, the existing problems and research directions are prospected in order to provide reference for further research of PDA.

Polydopamine (PDA) is discovered as a biopolymer that obtained by oxide polymerization of dopamine (DA) in alkaline environment. PDA has unique characteristics such as exceptional adhesiveness, metal chelation, and excellent biocompatibility. In recent years, PDA has been extensively utilized in various area such as biomedicine, materials science and food technology, etc. In present work, different methods of PDA preparation are summarized such as enzymatic oxidation, electro-polymerization and chemical oxidation, and the mechanism of PDA polymerization is discussed using covalent polymerization and supermolecule aggregates. Accordingly, the different self-polymerized PDA nanostructures are classified as nano-coating, nanoparticles, nano-capsules, mesoporous and porous PDA to analysis their advances in functional food packaging, immobilized enzyme, food detection and active substance delivery. In addition, the existing problems and research directions are prospected in order to provide reference for further research of PDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria‐based microbial immunotherapy shows various unique properties for tumor therapy owing to their active tropism to tumor and multiple anti‐tumor mechanisms. However, its clinical benefit is far from satisfactory, which is limited by rapid systemic clearance and neutrophils‐mediated immune restriction to compromise the efficacy, as well as non‐specific distribution to cause toxicity. To address all these limitations, herein we reported a polyserotonin (PST) coated Salmonella (Sal) with surface adsorption of DNAzyme (Dz)‐functionalized MnO2 nanoparticles (DzMN) for tumor therapy. PST could facilely coat on Sal surface via oxidation and self‐polymerization of its serotonin monomer, which enabled surface stealth to avoid rapid systemic clearance while maintaining the tumor homing effect. Upon targeting to tumor, the PST was degraded and exfoliated in response to acidic tumor microenvironment, thus liberating Sal to recover its anti‐tumor activities. Meanwhile, the DzMN was also delivered into tumor via hitchhiking Sal, which could release Dz and Mn2+ after tumor cells internalization. The Dz was then activated by its cofactor of Mn2+ to cleave target PD‐L1 mRNA, thus serving as a self‐activated system for gene silencing. Combining Sal and Dz for immune activation and PD‐L1 knockdown, respectively, anti‐tumor immunotherapy was achieved with enhanced efficacy. Notably, PST coating could significantly decrease infection potential and non‐specific colonization of Sal at normal organs, achieving high in vivo biosafety. This work addresses the key limitations of Sal for in vivo application via biomaterials modification, and provides a promising platform for better microbial immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high‐efficiency and good biocompatible photothermal therapy platforms is conducive to avoiding the risks of nano‐preparations in vivo. The poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA) indicated good biodegradability and biocompatibility. Inspired by natural melanin and the extraordinary nontoxic mussel biopolymer, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) with photothermal efficacy have attracted increasing attention. Herein, we performed the study of blended PDA/PLLA and coated PDA@PLLA electrospun nanofibers (ESNFs) for photothermal therapy. In photothermal experiment, the PDA@PLLA ESNF displayed higher light‐to‐heat conversion and photothermal stability than that of PDA/PLLA and PLLA ESNF. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments tested that three kinds of ESNF exhibited low toxicity and outstanding biocompatibility. Moreover, the PDA@PLLA ESNF showed better property for the cell proliferation due to the rough surface and good hydrophilicity. The in vivo photothermal potentiality of the PLLA, PDA/PLA and PDA@PLLA ESNF was evaluated in nude mice of inoculating the tumor, in which the PDA/PLA and PDA@PLLA ESNF significantly inhibited the tumor increasing compared to control group. Especially, the PDA@PLLA ESNF showed better photothermal therapy, which made the tumor irreversible ablate at local tumor tissue. These results stand out the usage of PDA@PLLA ESNF as potential photothermal therapy material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bacteria‐based microbial immunotherapy shows various unique properties for tumor therapy owing to their active tropism to tumor and multiple anti‐tumor mechanisms. However, its clinical benefit is far from satisfactory, which is limited by rapid systemic clearance and neutrophils‐mediated immune restriction to compromise the efficacy, as well as non‐specific distribution to cause toxicity. To address all these limitations, herein we reported a polyserotonin (PST) coated Salmonella (Sal) with surface adsorption of DNAzyme (Dz)‐functionalized MnO2 nanoparticles (DzMN) for tumor therapy. PST could facilely coat on Sal surface via oxidation and self‐polymerization of its serotonin monomer, which enabled surface stealth to avoid rapid systemic clearance while maintaining the tumor homing effect. Upon targeting to tumor, the PST was degraded and exfoliated in response to acidic tumor microenvironment, thus liberating Sal to recover its anti‐tumor activities. Meanwhile, the DzMN was also delivered into tumor via hitchhiking Sal, which could release Dz and Mn2+ after tumor cells internalization. The Dz was then activated by its cofactor of Mn2+ to cleave target PD‐L1 mRNA, thus serving as a self‐activated system for gene silencing. Combining Sal and Dz for immune activation and PD‐L1 knockdown, respectively, anti‐tumor immunotherapy was achieved with enhanced efficacy. Notably, PST coating could significantly decrease infection potential and non‐specific colonization of Sal at normal organs, achieving high in vivo biosafety. This work addresses the key limitations of Sal for in vivo application via biomaterials modification, and provides a promising platform for better microbial immunotherapy.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic receptors that mimic the specificity of biological antibody–antigen interactions. By using a "lock and key" process, MIPs selectively bind to target molecules that were used as templates during polymerization. While MIPs are typically prepared using conventional monomers, such as methacrylic acid and acrylamide, contemporary advancements have pivoted towards the functional potential of dopamine as a novel monomer. The overreaching goal of the proposed review is to fully unlock the potential of molecularly imprinted polydopamine (MIPda) within the realm of cutting-edge sensing applications. This review embarks by shedding light on the intricate tapestry of materials harnessed in the meticulous crafting of MIPda, endowing them with tailored properties. Moreover, we will cover the diverse sensing applications of MIPda, including its use in the detection of ions, small molecules, epitopes, proteins, viruses, and bacteria. In addition, the main synthesis methods of MIPda, including self-polymerization and electropolymerization, will be thoroughly examined. Finally, we will examine the challenges and drawbacks associated with this research field, as well as the prospects for future developments. In its entirety, this review stands as a resolute guiding compass, illuminating the path for researchers and connoisseurs alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, pure, doped Mg–, Mn–, and V-Li4Ti5O12, as well as polyaniline (PANI), and binary composites have been synthesized for supercapacitor applications. In situ, oxidation polymerization was used to create the nanocomposites. XRD, SEM, and XPS characterized the crystal structure, morphology, and compositions. The XRD analysis shows that all the pure and doped samples crystallize in the cubic spinel phase with a preferred orientation of the crystallites along the (111) direction, and the crystallite size has decreased with the addition of doping. The composites' SEM investigation revealed the production of LTO nanoparticles coated with PANI. The influence of dopant type on electrical and electrochemical characteristics was studied. The electrochemical performance is analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), and impedance methods in a 1 M LiNO3 electrolyte solution, whereas their electrical conductivity and dielectric constant are measured by electric impedance spectroscopy. All samples showed conductivity and dielectric properties depending on the composition of the samples. The electrical conduction is enhanced by adding PANI to the pure and doped LTO samples. The electrochemical data obtained showed pseudo-capacitive behavior with a revisable charge/discharge property, and specific capacitance values lie between 58 and 202 F/g depending upon sample composition. The V-LTO@PANI demonstrates the highest performance among all the tested electrodes. The V-LTO@PANI electrode shows a specific capacitance of 202 F/g, a maximum energy density of 72.8 Wh/kg, a maximum power density of 2430 W/kg, and high cycling performance, with 82.6% capacitance retained over 3000 cycles at 1 A/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy that employs therapeutic nucleic acids to modulate gene expression has shown great promise for diseases therapy, and its clinical application relies on the development of effective gene vector. Herein a novel gene delivery strategy by just using natural polyphenol (‐)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐O‐gallate (EGCG) as raw material is reported. EGCG first intercalates into nucleic acids to yield a complex, which then oxidizes and self‐polymerizes to form tea polyphenols nanoparticles (TPNs) for effective nucleic acids encapsulation. This is a general method to load any types of nucleic acids with single or double strands and short or long sequences. Such TPNs‐based vector achieves comparable gene loading capacity to commonly used cationic materials, but showing lower cytotoxicity. TPNs can effectively penetrate inside cells, escape from endo/lysosomes, and release nucleic acids in response to intracellular glutathione to exert biological functions. To demonstrate the in vivo application, an anti‐caspase‐3 small interfering ribonucleic acid is loaded into TPNs to treat concanavalin A‐induced acute hepatitis, and excellent therapeutic efficacy is obtained in combination with the intrinsic activities of TPNs vector. This work provides a simple, versatile, and cost‐effective gene delivery strategy. Given the biocompatibility and intrinsic biofunctions, this TPNs‐based gene vector holds great potential to treat various diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous organic polymers (POPs) have gained tremendous attention owing to their chemical tunability, stability and high surface areas. Whereas there are several examples of fully conjugated two‐dimensional (2D) POPs, three‐dimensional (3D) ones are rather challenging to realize in the absence of structural templates. Herein, we report the base‐catalyzed direct synthesis of a fully conjugated 3D POPs, named benzyne‐derived polymers (BDPs), containing biphenylene and tetraphenylene moieties starting from a simple bisbenzyne precursor, which undergoes [2+2] and [2+2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions to form BDPs primarily composed of biphenylene and tetraphenylene moieties. The resulting polymers exhibited ultramicroporous structures with surface areas up to 544 m2 g−1 and very high CO2/N2 selectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydopamine (PDA), inspired by the adhesive mussel foot proteins, is widely applied in chemical, biological, medical, and material science due to its unique surface coating capability and abundant active sites. Energetic materials (EMs) play an essential role in both military and civilian fields as a chemical energy source. Recently, PDA was introduced into EMs for the modification of crystal phase stability and the interfacial bonding effect, and, as a result, to enhance the mechanical, thermal, and safety performances. This mini-review summarizes the representative works in PDA modified EMs from three perspectives. Before that, the self-polymerization mechanisms of dopamine and the methods accelerating this process are briefly presented for consideration of researchers in this field. The future directions and remaining issues of PDA in this field are also discussed at last in this mini-review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving efficient and safe gene delivery is of great significance to promote the development of gene therapy. In this work, a polydopamine (PDA) layer was coated on the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) by dopamine (DA) self‐polymerization, and then magnetic Fe3O4 NPs were prepared by the Michael addition between amino groups in polyethyleneimine (PEI) and PDA. The prepared Fe3O4 NPs (named Fe3O4@PDA@PEI) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As an efficient and safe gene carrier, the potential of Fe3O4@PDA@PEI was evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. The results show that the Fe3O4@PDA@PEI NPs are stable hydrophilic NPs with a particle size of 50–150 nm. It can efficiently condense DNA at low N/P ratios and protect it from nuclease degradation. In addition, the Fe3O4@PDA@PEI NPs have higher safety than PEI. Further, the Fe3O4@PDA@PEI/DNA polyplexes could be effectively absorbed by cells and successfully transfected and exhibit higher cellular uptake and gene transfection efficiency than PEI/DNA polyplexes. The findings indicate that the Fe3O4@PDA@PEI NPs have the potential to be developed into a novel gene vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexible proton exchange membrane (PEM) was constructed through alternate deposition of Kevlar nanofibers and polydopamine (PDA)-coating polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SEBS) with spin coating technology. In the prepared (Kevlar/PDA@SEBS)5 membrane, the Kevlar nanofibers could withstand the external mechanical force owing to the fiber structure, while the flexible PEM was folded or stretched. The adhesive PDA coating was formed with the self-polymerization of dopamine protected the molecular chains of SEBS and further supported the flexible PEM. The structure of PDA coating SEBS could avoid the microstructure fracture of the flexible PEM during the folding and stretching operations. Notably, the multilayered structure promoted the phosphoric acid (PA) molecules motion through reducing the ion conduction resistance. For instance, the pristine (Kevlar/PDA@SEBS)5/PA membrane exhibited the proton conductivity of 4.11 × 10–2 S/cm at 160 °C, which was comparable to 4.13 × 10–2 S/cm of the folded membrane and (4.07–4.78) × 10–2 S/cm of the stretched membranes. The stable microstructure guaranteed the stiffness, such as 4.15 MPa of the (Kevlar/PDA@SEBS)5-fold/PA membrane and (3.50–6.34) MPa of (Kevlar/PDA@SEBS)5-stretched/PA membranes. Furthermore, the stretched membrane possessed the long-term proton conductivity stability, which was indicative of the microstructure and component stabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-polymerization offers an easy and simple technique to produce polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) from dichlorodimethylsilane (DCDMS). This method is a condensation stage that does not require additional treatments and materials. Here, we report the self-polymerization technique for the synthesis of high-viscosity PDMS without using a catalyst. Synthesis was carried out using dichloromethane (DCM) solvent with the volume ratio to DCDMS was 1:1. The polymerization process lasted for 63 days. PDMS with a viscosity of 5.13 Pa s which meets the category of high-viscosity of vitreous substitution obtained. The sample was clear and had a refractive index of 1.4028, slightly lower than commercial PDMS. The surface tension of the sample was 21 milliN/m. The sample has the advantage of higher surface tension compared to the commercial PDMS. It will have the effect of reducing the emulsification tendency. The viscosity, refractive index, and surface tension of the sample meet the requirements for the application of a vitreous humour substitute. This research reduced the number of catalyst and solvent used in the hydrolysis and accelerated the polymerization process.

Various forms of zinc oxide (ZnO) are frequently used in the design of optical and electrochemical sensors. However, the optical and electrochemical properties of ZnO should be properly adjusted depending on the application area. Therefore, in this work, we have investigated changing/tuning the properties of ZnO by depositing a layer of polydopamine (PDA) on its surface. In order to perform this investigation, the surface of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) was modified with the layer of ZnO nanorods and PDA. ZnO nanorods were synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis technique, and after the synthesis, they were coated with polydopamine exploiting the self-polymerization of dopamine. The nanostructures were investigated by using electrochemical and optical methods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed that electrochemical properties of FTO-ZnO and FTO-ZnO-PDA nanostructures could be changed by the variation of both—applied electrical potential and/or exposition towards lighting. Interaction between ZnO-PDA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules has been investigated by (photo)electrochemical and photoluminescence methods. A mechanism of possible interaction between BSA and the ZnO-PDA surface has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dopamine mainly consists of catechol and amine groups in high concentrations that are mainly responsible for interfacial adhesion of dopamine with the substrate and possesses the ability of oxidation through self‐polymerization that results in the formation of polydopamine. The weak mechanical properties of poly lactic acid (PLA) limit its applications in a variety of applications. Polydopamine is widely known for its deposition on a variety of organic and inorganic surfaces. The present study is aimed at studying the effect of the polydopamine coating on mechanical properties of PLA structures fabricated at varying infill density and coated at different concentrations of coating solution immersed for 4 and 7 h. The deposition of polydopamine coating on various PLA structures was confirmed with the help of scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Significant improvement in tensile and compression strengths was found, which was in agreement with the change in weight percentage analysis. The application of polydopamine coating led to improvement in hydrophilicity and degree of crystallinity with the increase in surface roughness of the polymer. The findings from this study will help in utilization of polydopamine‐coated PLA as an alternative over PLA with weak mechanical properties for biomedical applications involving high‐strength biomedical implants and bone tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing exogenous genes into target cells is one of the main strategies of gene therapy. Safe and effective gene vector is the guarantee to ensure the successful implementation of this strategy. In this work, firstly, a coating layer was formed on the surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by the self-polymerization of dopamine under weak alkaline conditions. Then, ternary nanoparticles (NPs) of Ag@PDA@PEI were prepared by PEI, grafting onto the surface of AgNPs by Michael addition reaction. Its physical and chemical properties were characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, TGA, elemental analysis, and AFM. The results showed that the ternary NPs have a particle size of about 25–100 nm and good stability. Its potential as gene vector was evaluated by the investigation of its cytotoxicity, DNA protection ability, cell uptake, and gene transfection efficiency. The results showed that Ag@PDA@PEI NPs can completely condensate DNA and protect DNA from degradation by DNase at low N/P ratio (0.72). The NPs showed no obvious cytotoxicity to cells and had no significant effect on cell growth curve. Ag@PDA@PEI/pDNA complex can be efficiently ingested by cells and shows higher transfection efficiency than PEI/DNA complex. These results showed that Ag@PDA@PEI NPs have the potential to be developed and used as a safe and efficient gene vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of selective and sensitive dopamine (DA) sensors is essential to more deeply understand its biological function and diagnosis of related diseases. In this study, gold nanocluster-encapsulated hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (hPEI-Au NCs) has been explored as the specific and ratiometric DA nanoprobe through hPEI-assisted DA self-polymerization reactions. The Au NCs encapsulation not only provides a fluorescent internal reference but also enhances the DA self-polymerization by weakening the proton sponge effect of the hPEI layer. Rapid and sensitive DA detection is realized through the proposed hPEI-Au NC nanoprobe with a limit of detection of 10 nM. The favorable selectivity over other possible interferents including amino acids, sugars, and salts is due to the specific self-polymerization reaction. The DA analysis in urine samples with small relative standard deviations has been accomplished with an hPEI-Au NC nanoprobe.

Thanks to its simplicity, versatility, and secondary reactivity, dopamine self-polymerized coatings (pDA) have been widely used in surface modification of biomaterials, but the limitation in secondary molecular grafting and the high roughness restrain their application in some special scenarios. Therefore, some other catecholamine coatings analog to pDA have attracted more and more attention, including the smoother poly-norepinephrine coating (pNE), and the poly-levodopa coating (pLD) containing additional carboxyl groups. However, the lack of a systematic comparison of the properties, especially the biological properties of the above three catecholamine coatings, makes it difficult to give a guiding opinion on the application scenarios of different coatings. Herein, we systematically studied the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the three catecholamine coatings, and explored the feasibility of their application for the modification of biomaterials, especially cardiovascular materials. Among them, the pDA coating was the roughest, with the largest amount of amino and phenolic hydroxyl groups for molecule grafting, and induced the strongest platelet adhesion and activation. The pLD coating was the thinnest and most hydrophilic but triggered the strongest inflammatory response. The pNE coating was the smoothest, with the best hemocompatibility and histocompatibility, and with the strongest cell selectivity of promoting the proliferation of endothelial cells while inhibiting the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. To sum up, the pNE coating may be a better choice for the surface modification of cardiovascular materials, especially those for vascular stents and grafts, but it is still not widely recognized.

Polydopamine (PDA), inspired by the adhesive mussel foot proteins, is widely applied in chemical, biological, medical, and material science due to its unique surface coating capability and abundant active sites. Energetic materials (EMs) play an essential role in both military and civilian fields as a chemical energy source. Recently, PDA was introduced into EMs for the modification of crystal phase stability and the interfacial bonding effect, and, as a result, to enhance the mechanical, thermal, and safety performances. This mini-review summarizes the representative works in PDA modified EMs from three perspectives. Before that, the self-polymerization mechanisms of dopamine and the methods accelerating this process are briefly presented for consideration of researchers in this field. The future directions and remaining issues of PDA in this field are also discussed at last in this mini-review.

Various forms of zinc oxide (ZnO) are frequently used in the design of optical and electrochemical sensors. However, the optical and electrochemical properties of ZnO should be properly adjusted depending on the application area. Therefore, in this work, we have investigated changing/tuning the properties of ZnO by depositing a layer of polydopamine (PDA) on its surface. In order to perform this investigation, the surface of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) was modified with the layer of ZnO nanorods and PDA. ZnO nanorods were synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis technique, and after the synthesis, they were coated with polydopamine exploiting the self-polymerization of dopamine. The nanostructures were investigated by using electrochemical and optical methods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements showed that electrochemical properties of FTO-ZnO and FTO-ZnO-PDA nanostructures could be changed by the variation of both—applied electrical potential and/or exposition towards lighting. Interaction between ZnO-PDA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules has been investigated by (photo)electrochemical and photoluminescence methods. A mechanism of possible interaction between BSA and the ZnO-PDA surface has been proposed.

Most phenolic resins are synthesized with non-renewable petroleum-based phenol and formaldehyde, which have adverse effects on the environment and human health. To achieve green and sustainable production of phenolic resins, it is important to replace non-renewable toxic phenol and formaldehyde. Herein, a new strategy was proposed to completely replace phenol and formaldehyde, using lignin-derived monomers to synthesize renewable phenolic resins. Lithium aluminum hydride was utilized to reduce lignin-derived monomers, including vanillin, methyl vanillate, and syringaldehyde, to generate the corresponding vanillyl and syringic alcohol. With oxalic acid as the catalyst, vanillyl and syringic alcohol could be polymerized to phenolic resins without using formaldehyde. The structure of the phenolic resins based on lignin-derived monomers was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 13C and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were performed to characterize the thermal properties of the phenolic resins. The phenolic resins based on lignin-derived monomers exhibited excellent adhesion strength (6.14 MPa), glass transition temperature (T g) (107–115 °C), and thermal stability, and its performance was similar to that of the commercial Novolak phenolic resin. This study presents a promising green and sustainable approach to synthesize renewable phenolic resins based on lignin-derived monomers without using formaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of soluble conducting polymers proceeds by the chemical oxidation method in the presence of water‐soluble polyelectrolytes. Among conducting polymers, polyethylene‐(3,4‐dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is the most investigated due to its intrinsic properties. In this work, for the first time a simple method of ethylene‐(3,4‐dioxythiophne) self‐polymerization without applying any oxidant and with the formation of PEDOT solution at room temperature with a yield of 100% is presented. This PEDOT solution could be deposited on many desirable surfaces (by simple evaporation of the solvent) for various applications from photovoltaic cell to pseudocapacitors. Moreover, it is discovered that the self‐polymerization method does not produce byproducts, which makes the method environmentally friendly. The effect of light and different acids is explored. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy confirm the formation of PEDOT by the self‐polymerization method. Moreover, this method provides a way to obtain and study individual PEDOT chains. The self‐polymerization method may be applied for the preparation of other conducting polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, due to the oxidative and strong adhesion characteristics of mussel-inspired polydopamine, the aimed antibody-anti-CEA could be directly attached to the polydopamine-coated glassy carbon electrode surface. The immobilization method and sandwich immunoreactions strategy were applied to form a facile and effective electrochemical immunosensor. Anti-CEA was verified by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Under optimum conditions, a linear response range of CEA from 0.01 to 80 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 1.58 pg/mL was obtained by the differential pulse voltammetry determination. Assay results of clinical serum samples using the standard ELISA and reference methods gave an excellent correlation and dependence. Moreover, the preparation of immunosensor with low cost, convenient operation, and all steps processing at room temperature which possesses great potentials for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar redox organics have attracted interest as electrode materials for energy storage owing to their flexibility, sustainability and environmental friendliness. However, an understanding of their application in all‐organic batteries, let alone dual‐ion batteries (DIBs), is in its infancy. Herein, we propose a strategy to screen a variety of phthalocyanine‐based bipolar organics. The self‐polymerizable bipolar Cu tetraaminephthalocyanine (CuTAPc) shows multifunctional applications in various energy storage systems, including lithium‐based DIBs using CuTAPc as the cathode material, graphite‐based DIBs using CuTAPc as the anode material and symmetric DIBs using CuTAPc as both the cathode and anode materials. Notably, in lithium‐based DIBs, the use of CuTAPc as the cathode material results in a high discharge capacity of 236 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 and a high reversible capacity of 74.3 mAh g−1 after 4000 cycles at 4 A g−1. Most importantly, a high energy density of 239 Wh kg−1 and power density of 11.5 kW kg−1 can be obtained in all‐organic symmetric DIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are known for their high energy density but exhibit poor cyclic stability and safety risks due to side reactions between the electrode and electrolyte. To address these issues, a novel approach involving construction of a polymer coating layer (PCL) via self-polymerization using 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBM) as an electrolyte additive on the cathode is proposed. The PCL endows the electrolyte with a high onset oxidation potential (4.78 V) and lithium-ion transference number (0.52). The uniform and robust in situ self-polymerization using 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFBM) as an electrolyte additive on the cathode is proposed. The PCL endows the electrolyte with a high onset oxidation potential (4.78 V) and lithium-ion transference number (0.52). The uniform and robust in situ constructed PCL can effectively inhibit the severe irreversible side reactions and suppress harmful reactions, thus providing a protective barrier against degradation. The resulting Li||LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 self-polymerization strategy holds promising potential for enhancing LIB performance and long-term stability, especially when high-voltage cathode materials are used.in situ self-polymerization strategy holds promising potential for enhancing LIB performance and long-term stability, especially when high-voltage cathode materials are used.

Chronic inflammation in osteoarthritis (OA) can destroy the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM), causing cartilage damage and further exacerbating the inflammation. Effective regulation of the inflammatory microenvironment has important clinical significance for OA alleviation and cartilage protection. Polycitrate-based polymers have good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities but cannot self-polymerize to form hydrogels. Herein, a one-component multifunctional polycitrate-based (PCCGA) hydrogel for OA alleviation and cartilage protection is reported. The PCCGA hydrogel is prepared using only the PCCGA polymer by self-polymerization and exhibits multifunctional properties such as injectability, adhesion, controllable pore size and elasticity, self-healing ability, and photoluminescence. Moreover, the PCCGA hydrogel exhibits good biocompatibility, biodegradability, antioxidation by scavenging intracellular reactive oxygen species, and anti-inflammatory ability by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and promoting the proliferation and migration of stem cells. In vivo results from an OA rat model show that the PCCGA hydrogel can effectively alleviate OA and protect the cartilage by restoring uniform articular surface and cartilage ECM levels, as well as inhibiting cartilage resorption and matrix metalloproteinase-13 levels. These results indicate that the PCCGA hydrogel, as a novel bioactive material, is an effective strategy for OA treatment and has broad application prospects in inflammation-related biomedicine., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Abstract This work provides a new and simple method to improve the performance of polyamide reverse osmosis membrane, including selectivity properties and antifouling ability. Herein, quaternary ammonium groups have been immobilized on polyamide membrane surface by grafting and self-polymerization reaction of epoxy group in 2,3-epoxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride with tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol as curing catalyst. The surface properties of the modified membrane, such as surface charge, hydrophilicity and roughness have been characterized in detail and compared with virgin PA membrane. This novel modification method mainly achieves three advances in terms of membrane performance and fabricating technique. On one hand, the positively charged quaternary ammonium group immobilized on membrane surface can prevent cationic surfactant absorbing to improve fouling-resistance, due to the electric repulsion effect. On the other hand, self-polymerization reaction based on epoxy group occurred on polyamide surface can fill up the aggregate pore or reduce the pore size in polyamide, resulting in the increase of salt rejection. More importantly, the membrane modification process is very simple and efficient, which adapts to fabricate RO membrane with high performance on industrial production line completely. Highlights • Positively charged TFC membranes have been fabricated by immobilizing quaternary ammonium group on PA surface. • NaCl rejection of the TFC membrane can increase from 98.50% to 99.72% after modification. • Modified TFC membrane shows much more improved fouling-resistance ability to cation surfactant than virgin PA membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenanthroimidazole-based monomers with reactive vinyl groups were synthesized, and their thermal, optical, photophysical and electrochemical properties were investigated. The monomers exhibited high thermal stability with 5% weight loss temperatures (Td) ranging from 378 to 409 °C. Thermal degradation of the polymerization products apparently takes place in this temperature range. The solutions of the monomers exhibit emission peaks in the range from 388 to 398 nm. In the solid state, the emission of these molecules shows red shift which is coherent with the similar red shifts of the corresponding absorption spectra. Ionization potential values of the compounds estimated by cyclic voltammetry were found to be close and varied in the range from 5.44 to 5.63 eV. Solid-state ionization potentials estimated by photoelectron emission spectrometry varied in the range from 5.54 to 5.66 eV. Self-polymerization of the synthesized monomers was demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry. The number average molecular weights of the polymerization products of monomers containing substituents at phenyl rings linked to C-2 and N-1 positions of imidazole ring were found to be 100,100 and 196,000, respectively. The apparent activation energy and pre-exponential factor of self-polymerization were found to be dependent on conversion degree. The values of activation energy for self-polymerization of monomers varied in the range from 78.7 to 136.0 kJ/mol (estimated by Ozawa method) and from 78.3 to 139.0 kJ/mol (estimated by Kissinger method). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nonwoven fabrics based on 3‐isopropenyl‐α,α′‐dimethylbenzene isocyanate grafting polypropylene (PP‐g‐TMI) was modified with dopamine both by covalent reaction and by polymer layer deposition involving straightforward self‐polymerization (PP‐PDA) to improve the hydrophilic property of polypropylene nonwoven fabrics. The functionalized surfaces were characterized by structural and morphological analysis combined with the rheological property to confirm the location and dispersion of PDA. The water contact angle, water absorption ability, and the vapor transmission rate were examined to evaluate the hydrophilicity performance of modified materials. It was found that the aggregated small particles on PP nonwoven fabric could result in a heterogeneous surface, and the modified PP nonwoven fabric with dopamine indicated a lower water contact angle and better hydrophilicity that the water absorption ability nearly soared to ten times that of PP nonwoven fabric without PDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel potentiometric pH sensor based on polydopamine films coated on a carbon nano-onion conductive surface is introduced. Glassy carbon electrodes containing a carbon nano-onion layer were modified by electropolymerization and self-polymerization of dopamine. The modified surfaces were characterized by ESEM, RAMAN spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The modified electrodes displayed an almost Nernstian potentiometric response over the pH range 2–10. Furthermore, the pH sensors exhibit a fast and reversible behavior toward variations of pH and negligible interference effects from monovalent cations. The sensors showed an excellent correspondence between the pH values obtained using the GCE/CNO/PDA electrodes and those measured with glass electrodes and were applied to the analysis of real samples covering a wide pH range from 2.2 to 8.3. The analytical performance is comparable to other reported devices based on electropolymerized amines over graphite and noble metal electrodes. Their reproducible and stable response and their ease of fabrication is very promising for the miniaturization and integration of pH sensors in (bio)analytical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinyl-functionalized phenanthroimidazole-based monomers were synthesized and their thermal, optical, photophysical, and electrochemical properties were investigated. The monomers exhibited high thermal stability with 5% weight loss temperatures ranging from 315 to 386 °C. Solid state ionization were found to be comparable (5.56-5.62 eV). The number average molecular weight of the polymerization product of monomer containing substituent at phenyl rings linked to C-2 position of imidazole ring was found to be 213000 Da. The values of activation energy for self-polymerization of monomers varied in the range from 86.6 to 143.8 kJ/mol (estimated by Ozawa method), and from 87.8 to 148.0 kJ/mol (estimated by Kissinger method). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Estrone molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized through the self‐polymerization of dopamine on the surface of silica gels, which had the characteristics of mild polymerization conditions, simple reaction procedure and good specific recognition ability for estrone. The estrone molecularly imprinted polymers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis and nitrogen adsorption–desorption tests. The characterization confirmed that the imprinted polymers were successfully grafted on the surface of silica gels. Through investigating the adsorption performance, the prepared estrone molecularly imprinted polymers exhibited high adsorption capacity, fast mass transfer, as well as excellent selectivity toward estrone. The estrone molecularly imprinted polymers as the solid‐phase extraction adsorbent coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography was developed to determine estrone from the milk samples. The developed estrone molecularly imprinted polymer solid‐phase extraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography method exhibited satisfactory specificity, precision, accuracy and good linearity relationship in the range of 0.2–20 μg/mL. The developed method is simple, fast, effective and high specificity method and it provides a new method to detect the residues of estrone in animal foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent organic nanoparticles (FONs) have been regarded as the promising candidates for biomedical applications owing to their well adjustment of chemical structure and optical properties and good biological properties. However, the preparation of FONs from the natural derived polymers has been rarely reported thus far. In current work, we reported a novel strategy for preparation of FONs based on the self-polymerization of starch-dopamine conjugates and polyethyleneimine in rather mild experimental conditions, including air atmosphere, aqueous solution, absent catalysts and at room temperature. The morphology, chemical structure and optical properties of the resultant starch-based FONs were investigated by different characterization techniques. Biological evaluation results demonstrated that these starch-based FONs possess good biocompatibility and fluorescent imaging performance. More importantly, the novel strategy might also be extended for the preparation of many other carbohydrate polymers based FONs with different structure and functions. Therefore, this work opens a new avenue for the preparation and biomedical applications of luminescent carbohydrate polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric fluorescent organic nanoparticles (polymer-FONs) have raised considerable research attention for biomedical applications owing to their advantages as compared with fluorescent inorganic nanoparticles and small organic molecules. In this study, we presented an efficient, facile and environment-friendly strategy to produce polymer-FONs, which relied on the self-polymerization of dopamine and polyethyleneimine (PEI) in rather mild conditions. To obtain the final polymer-FONs, aldehyde group-containing copolymers (named as poly(UA- co -PEGMA)) were synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization using polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 1-undecen-10-al (UA) as monomers. The dopamine was conjugated onto poly(UA- co -PEGMA) through a multicomponent reaction between UA and dopamine to obtain poly(UA- co -PEGMA)-DA, which was further utilized for preparation of polymer-FONs through self-polymerization of dopamine and PEI. 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy were employed to characterize the structure, morphology, compositions and optical properties of these polymer-FONs. Cell viability and cell uptake behavior results suggested that these polymer-FONs possess good biocompatibility and can be potentially utilized for biomedical applications. More importantly, the method can be also applied to fabricate many other multifunctional polymer-FONs with great potential for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of collagen I matrix, a novel and facile strategy was developed to modify porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) via dopamine self-polymerization followed by collagen immobilization to enhance the biological, mechanical and physicochemical properties of PADM. Mechanism study indicated that the polymerization of dopamine onto PADM surface could be regulated by controlling the amount of hydrogen bonds forming between phenol hydroxyl (C OH) and nitrogen atom (N C O) within collagen fibers of PADM. The investigations of surface interactions between PDA and PADM illustrated that PDA-PADM system yielded better mechanical properties, thermal stability, surface hydrophilicity and the structural integrity of PADM was maintained after dopamine coating. Furthermore, collagen (COL) was immobilized onto the fresh PDA-PADM to fabricate the collagen-PDA-PADM (COL-PDA-PADM) complexed scaffold. The MTT assay and CLSM observation showed that COL-PDA-PADM had better biocompatibility and higher cellular attachment than pure PADM and COL-PADM without dopamine coating, thus demonstrating the efficacy of PDA as the intermediate layer. Meanwhile, the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) of COL-PDA-PADM were investigated by an in vivo study. The results revealed that COL-PDA-PADM could effectively promote bFGF and VEGF expression, possibly leading to enhancing the dura repairing process. Overall, this work contributed a new insight into the development of a semi-natural tissue engineering scaffold with high biocompatibility and good mechanical properties. Statement of Significance Obtaining scaffolds with high biocompatibility and good mechanical properties is still one of the most challenging issues in tissue engineering. To have excellent in vitro and in vivo performance, scaffolds are desired to have similar mechanical and biological properties as the natural extracellular matrix, such as collagen based matrix. Utilizing the surface self-crosslinking and coating strategy, we successfully obtained a novel semi-natural platform with excellent biological and mechanical properties from porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM), polydopamine and collagen. The results confirmed that this scaffold platform has very excellent cellular performance and very little toxicity/side effects in vivo . Therefore, this semi-natural scaffold may be an appropriate platform for tissue engineering and this strategy would further help to develop more robust scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A soft templating method has been developed for the synthesis of hollow polydopamine nanocapsules with adjustable shell thickness. The method involves the use of an aqueous miniemulsion comprising submicron-size toluene droplets as templates. Dopamine polymerization is conducted at room temperature in the aqueous phase and/or at the droplet surfaces, thus forming hollow polydopamine nanocapsules. The core size is determined by the size of the initial toluene droplets, whereas the shell thickness can be readily tuned by adjusting the initial amount of dopamine. Nanocapsules of diameters as low as ∼50 nm can be readily prepared using this novel approach. Dialysis was demonstrated to be an effective technique for removal of surfactant, hexadecane and unreacted monomer. This creative one-step method provides a new approach to the synthesis of hollow polydopamine nanocapsules, which has the potential to dramatically expand their commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,8-Naphthalene imide with reactive vinyl group was synthesized by Suzuki reaction. Self-polymerization of the compound starts at 177°C as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry. The electron affinity values of the monomer and the polymer were found to be −3.30 eV and −3.05 eV, respectively. The solid state ionization potential values of the monomer and the polymer were recorded to be 6.42 eV and 6.17 eV, respectively. The activation energy of the process was estimated using Ozawa method. It depends on the conversion degree and was found to be in the range of 136-195 kJ/mol. Pre-exponential factor values decrease during polymerization with decreasing chain mobility due to increasing molecular weight of the polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]