Polydopamine and Its Derivative Materials: Synthesis and Promising Applications in Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Fields

Polydopamine is fast becoming a popular polymer that is receiving increased attention from scientists from different areas of expertise. The physicochemical properties of polydopamine, as well as its potential applications are reviewed. Similar to the foot protein in mussels, polydopamine has also shown versatile adhesion capability to virtually all types of surfaces, and provides a general surface-coating strategy for researchers to functionalize some specific technique-related substrates. It easily reacts with numerous amine- and thiol-containing molecules based on Michael-type addition and Schiff base reactions and has strong metal chelating/redox capabilities, which imparts to materials with structural flexibility and the ability to tailor the coatings for producing diverse hybrid materials with specific functionalities. During investigations of the polymerization process, specific attention should be drawn to the thickness of the polydopamine film deposited on the substrates.