Metal ion-promoted fabrication of melanin-like poly(L-DOPA) nanoparticles for photothermal actuation

Time-Resolved Levodopa Cascade Polymerization Tuned by Bimetallic MOF Fluorescent Nanozyme and Boric Acid for Butyrylcholinesterase Activity Dual-Mode Assay

A ratiometric fluorescence-photothermal dual-mode assay method is constructed for the detection of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity based on time-resolved levodopa (L-DOPA) cascade polymerization. First, a newly designed bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF), Eu/Co-DPA (DPA: pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid), is screened out as a fluorescent nanozyme with high catalytic activity and superior luminescence properties. In the presence of boric acid (BA), L-DOPA forms BA-esterified L-DOPA, which is catalyzed by Eu/Co-DPA to form the oligomers with strong blue fluorescence. Meanwhile, the red fluorescence of Eu/Co-DPA is quenched by the oligomers, generating a sensitive turn-on/off ratiometric fluorescence response. As polymerization time increases, Eu/Co-DPA cleaves the borate ester bonds to expose the catechol structures of the oligomers, which facilitates the further oxidation and polymerization of the oligomers, promoting the formation of poly(L-DOPA) nanoparticles with a high photothermal conversion efficiency (30.33%). Then, by using thiocholine (butyrylthiocholine enzymolysis product) to inhibit the catalytic activity of Eu/Co-DPA, BChE activity is detected through the change in fluorescence and photothermal dual signals. Both assay modes have low detection limits (0.021 and 0.024 U L-1) and high accuracy (93.3-105.3% recovery). The detection results of real human serum indicate that both assay modes show 100.0% agreement with the standard method. To our knowledge, this work first combines bimetallic MOFs and a BA regulator to tune the structure of L-DOPA polymers, providing a pathbreaking paradigm for preparing catecholamine-based fluorescence-photothermal organic polymers.

Durable Antibacterial Photothermal Membrane Using Melanin-Inspired Cu-Doped Polynorepinephrine for Water Remediation

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is an efficient approach to addressing water scarcity due to its environmental sustainability. However, the prolonged use of solar evaporators causes microbial contamination from wastewater. Inspired by the antifouling properties of polydopamine, we develop a series of mono- and dual-metal-loaded poly(norepinephrine) (PNE) nanoparticles by pre-doping multiple metal ions. Metal doping enhances the photothermal conversion efficiency (∼60%) of PNE by reducing the energy bandgap and imparts antimicrobial properties. Cu2+-loaded PNE (Cu-5) combined with laser achieves a 99.72% bactericidal rate against both E. coli and S. aureus. The Cu-5-coated cellulose membrane (Cu-5@CM) realized an evaporation rate of 2.21 kg m-2 h-1 under one sun with an evaporation efficiency of 97.4%. Cu-5@CM exhibits remarkable anti-biofouling properties, maintaining its surface integrity and evaporation performance even after 15 days of immersion in a bacterial environment. Its stable evaporation rate and long-lasting antimicrobial performance offer a promising solution to the biofouling challenges in seawater desalination.

Replenishing Cation-π Interactions for the Fabrication of Mesoporous Levodopa Nanoformulations for Parkinson Remission

Directly assembling drugs into mesoporous nanoformulations will be greatly favored due to the combination of enhanced drug delivery efficiency and mesostructure-enabled nanobio interactions. However, such an approach is hindered due to the lack of understanding of polymer nanoparticles' formation mechanism, especially the relationship between polymerization, self-assembly, and the nucleation process. Here, by investigating the levodopa and dopamine polymerization process, we identify π-cation interaction as pivotal in the self-assembly and nucleation control of dopa molecules. Thus, through manipulation of the π-cation interaction, we present the direct assembly of a commercial drug, levodopa, into mesoporous nanoformulations. The synthesized nanospheres, approximately 200 nm in diameter, exhibit uniform mesopores of around 8 nm. These nanoformulations, abundant in mesopores, enhance chiral phenylalanine interaction with α-synuclein (Syn), curbing aggregation, safeguarding neurons, and alleviating Parkinson's pathology. When combating α-synuclein, the nanoformulation achieved ∼100% inhibition of protein aggregation and sustained neuron viability up to 300%. We believe that this study may advance mesoscale self-assembly knowledge, guiding future nanopharmaceutical developments.

Fabrication of polydopamine-modified cellulose hydrogel for controlled release of α-mangostin

Hydrogels are notable for their outstanding absorbent qualities, satisfactory compatibility with biological systems, ability to degrade, and inherent safety, all of which contribute to their high demand in the field of biomedicine. This study focuses on the fabrication of hydrogels using environmentally friendly cellulosic material. Cellulose hydrogel beads were prepared by physical cross-linking in a NaOH/urea medium. Furthermore, nano polydopamine was integrated into the hydrogel matrix as functional polymers and α-mangostin was employed as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. The physicochemical properties were comprehensively analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, 13C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscope. The drug delivery properties, including water content, swelling ratio, and drug release profiles, were evaluated. In vitro cytotoxicity against MC3T3-E1 cells was assessed using sulforhodamine B staining. All test hydrogels exhibited inhibitory activity against the growth of MC3T3-E1 cells. These results indicated the potential use of these hydrogels as a drug delivery carrier for α-mangostin in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.

Robust and Flexible Rubber Composite with High Photothermal Properties Achieved by In Situ ZDMA Assisted Dispersion of Eumelanin and its Hydrophobic Photothermal Application

Eumelanin, a natural, biocompatible, and biodegradable photothermal agent derived from biomass, has attracted increasingly considerable attention due to its outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency. Unfortunately, its tendency to aggregate in flexible non-polar polymers, owing to its abundant polar groups on the surface, severely restricted the application of eumelanin in photothermal composite field. Herein, a feasible strategy is proposed to disperse eumelanin in non-polar rubber matrix via in situ generation of Zinc dimethacrylate (ZDMA). The graft-polymerization of ZDMA promotes the interfacial compatibility between styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and eumelanin, achieving a uniform dispersion of eumelanin in SBR. The rubber composite exhibits a considerable tensile strength of 11.4 MPa, acceptable elongation at break of 146%, and outstanding photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 75.2% with only 1 wt% of eumelanin. Furthermore, based on the easy-processing of SBR matrix, the composite is treated with a sandpaper template technique and sprayed with trimethoxy(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl)silane (PFDTMS) to endow the material with near superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 147.9°) capacity. Hydrophobicity provides excellent icing resistance, with droplet surfaces extending more than twice as long to freeze. Moreover, this hydrophobic photothermal material exhibits remarkable anti-frosting, de-frosting, and de-icing capabilities.

Nanohybrid-Based Redox Homeostasis Perturbators Escaped from Early Lysosomes toward Amplified Sensitization of Tumor Cells and Photothermally Maneuvered Pyroptosis Therapy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) hold great potential in tumor pyroptosis therapy, yet they are still limited by short species lifespan and limited diffusion distance. Inducing cells into a metastable state and then applying external energy can effectively trigger pyroptosis, but systemic sensitization still faces challenges, such as limited ROS content, rapid decay, and short treatment windows. Herein, a nanohybrid-based redox homeostasis-perturbator system was designed that synergistically induce early lysosomal escape, autophagy inhibition, and redox perturbation functions to effectively sensitize cells to address these challenges. Specifically, weakly alkaline layered double hydroxide nanosheets (LDH NSs) with pH-responsive degradation properties enabled early lysosomal escape within 4 h, releasing poly(L-dopa) nanoparticles for inducing catechol-quinone redox cycling in the cytoplasm. The intracellular ROS levels were systematically rebounded by 3-4 times in tumor cells and lasted for over 4 h. Subsequently induced lysosomal stress and Ca2+ signaling activation resulted in severe mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as a perilous metastable state. Thereby, sequential near-infrared light was applied to trigger amplified stress through a local photothermal conversion. This led to sufficiently high levels of cleaved caspase-1 and GSDMD activation (2.5-2.8-fold increment) and subsequent pyroptosis response. In addition, OH- released by LDH elevated pH to alleviate the limitation of glutathione depletion by quinones at acidic pH and inhibit protective autophagy. Largely secreted inflammatory factors (2.5-5.6-fold increment), efficient maturation of dendritic cells, and further immune stimulation were boosted for tumor inhibition as a consequence. This study offers a new paradigm and insights into the synergy of internal systematic cellular sensitization and sequential external energy treatment to achieve tumor suppression through pyroptosis.

Interactions of Melanin with Electromagnetic Radiation: From Fundamentals to Applications

Melanin, especially integumentary melanin, interacts in numerous ways with electromagnetic radiation, leading to a set of critical functions, including radiation protection, UV-protection, pigmentary and structural color productions, and thermoregulation. By harnessing these functions, melanin and melanin-like materials can be widely applied to diverse applications with extraordinary performance. Here we provide a unified overview of the melanin family (all melanin and melanin-like materials) and their interactions with the complete electromagnetic radiation spectrum (X-ray, Gamma-ray, UV, visible, near-infrared), which until now has been absent from the literature and is needed to establish a solid fundamental base to facilitate their future investigation and development. We begin by discussing the chemistries and morphologies of both natural and artificial melanin, then the fundamentals of melanin-radiation interactions, and finally the exciting new developments in high-performance melanin-based functional materials that exploit these interactions. This Review provides both a comprehensive overview and a discussion of future perspectives for each subfield of melanin that will help direct the future development of melanin from both fundamental and applied perspectives.

Metal-Loaded Synthetic Melanin via Oxidative Polymerization of Neurotransmitter Norepinephrine Exhibiting High Photothermal Conversion

Polydopamine (PDA)-derived melanin-like materials exhibit significant photothermal conversion owing to their broad-spectrum light absorption. However, their low near-infrared (NIR) absorption and inadequate hydrophilicity compromise their utilization of solar energy. Herein, we developed metal-loaded poly(norepinephrine) nanoparticles (PNE NPs) by predoping metal ions (Fe3+, Mn3+, Co2+, Ca2+, Ga3+, and Mg2+) with norepinephrine, a neuron-derived biomimetic molecule, to address the limitations of PDA. The chelation between catechol and metal ions induces a ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) through the formation of donor-acceptor pairs, modulating the light absorption behavior and reducing the band gap. Under 1 sun illumination, the Fe-loaded PNE coated wood evaporator achieved a high seawater evaporation rate and efficiency of 1.75 kg m-2 h-1 and 92.4%, respectively, owing to the superior hydrophilicity and photothermal performance of PNE. Therefore, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of the role of metal ions in enhancing the photothermal properties of synthetic melanins.

Polylevodopa nanoplatform for lateral flow immunochromatography assay of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus

At the end of 2019, an unprecedented outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia ravaged the global landscape, inflicting profound harm upon society. Following numerous cycles of transmission, we find ourselves in an epoch where the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coexists alongside influenza viruses (Flu A). Swift and accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A is imperative to stem the spread of these maladies and administer appropriate treatment. Presently, colloidal gold-based lateral flow immunoassays (Au-LFIAs) constructed through electrostatic adsorption are beset by challenges such as diminished sensitivity and feeble binding stability. In this context, we propose the adoption of black polylevodopa nanoparticles (PLDA NPs) featuring abundant carboxyl groups as labeling nanomaterials in LFIA to bolster the stability and sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 antigens and influenza A virus identifications. The engineered PLDA-LFIAs exhibit the capacity to detect SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A within 30 min, boasting a detection threshold of 5 pg/ml for the SARS-CoV-2 antigen and 0.1 ng/ml for the Flu A H1N1 antigen, thereby underscoring their heightened sensitivity relative to Au-LFIAs. These PLDA-LFIAs hold promise for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A, underscoring the potential of PLDA NPs as a discerning labeling probe to heighten the sensitivity of LFIA across diverse applications.

Quaternary Ammonium Assisted Synthesis of Melanin-like Poly(l-DOPA) Nanoparticles with a Boosted Photothermal Effect

Poly(levodopa) nanoparticles (P(l-DOPA) NPs) are another kind of melanin mimetic besides well-established polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs). Due to the presence of carboxyl groups, the oxidative polymerization of l-DOPA to obtain particles was not as efficient as that of dopamine. Several established methods toward P(l-DOPA) NP fabrication do not combine convenience, morphological regularity, size controllability, low cost, and adaptability to metal-free application scenarios. In this work, P(l-DOPA) NPs were successfully prepared in hot water with the assistant of organic quaternary ammonium, due to the extra physical cross-linking mediated by cations. The employed physical interactions could also be affected by quaternary ammonium structure (i.e., number of cation heads, length of alkyl chain) to achieve different polymerization acceleration effects. The obtained P(l-DOPA) NPs retained superior photothermal properties and outperformed PDA-based melanin materials. Furthermore, P(l-DOPA) NPs were used in photothermal tumor therapy and showed better efficacy. This study offers new insights into the synthesis of melanin-like materials, as well as new understanding of the interaction between quaternary ammonium and bioinspired polyphenolic materials.

Eumelanin-like Poly(levodopa) Nanoscavengers for Inflammation Disease Therapy

In the current years, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) have been extensively investigated as an eumelanin mimic. However, unlike natural eumelanin, PDA NPs contain no 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA)-derived units and may be limited in certain intrinsic properties; superior eumelanin-like nanomaterials are still actively being sought. Levodopa (l-DOPA) is a natural eumelanin precursor and expected to convert into DHICA and further remain within the final product through covalent or physical interactions. Herein, poly(levodopa) nanoparticles [P(l-DOPA) NPs] were synthesized with the assistance of zinc oxide as a supplement to synthetic eumelanin. This study found that P(l-DOPA) NPs had ∼90% DHICA-derived subunits on their surface and exhibited superior antioxidant activity compared to PDA NPs due to their looser polymeric microstructure. Benefitting from a stronger ROS scavenging ability, P(l-DOPA) NPs outperformed PDA NPs in treating cellular oxidative stress and acute inflammation. This research opens up new possibilities for the development and application of novel melanin-like materials.

Melanin-Inspired Composite Materials: From Nanoarchitectonics to Applications

Synthetic melanin is a mimic of natural melanin analogue with intriguing properties such as metal-ion chelation, redox activity, adhesion, and broadband absorption. Melanin-inspired composite materials are formulated by assembly of melanin with other types of inorganic and organic components to target, combine, and build up the functionality, far beyond their natural capabilities. Developing efficient and universal methodologies to prepare melanin-based composite materials with unique functionality is vital for their further applications. In this review, we summarize three types of synthetic approaches, predoping, surface engineering, and physical blending, to access various melanin-inspired composite materials with distinctive structure and properties. The applications of melanin-inspired composite materials in free radical scavenging, bioimaging, antifouling, and catalytic applications are also reviewed. This review also concludes current challenges that must be addressed and research opportunities in future studies.

D-A Structured High-Performance Photothermal/Photodynamic Thionin-Synthetic Melanin Nanoparticles for Rapid Bactericidal and Wound Healing Effects

Synthesized melanin nanoparticles (SMNPs) are used as advanced photothermal materials. However, their internal structures are complex and disordered, and tuning the photothermal performance of nanoparticles is still a hot spot of concern. This article presents thionin (Th)-doped SMNPs, namely Th-SMNPs, which are the first SMNPs formed using the one-pot polymerization of Th with Levodopa. Th can undergo Michael addition and Schiff base reaction between indole dihydroxy/indolequinone and their oligomers to form donor-acceptor pairs in the structure to modulate the photothermal performance of SMNPs. Structural and spectroscopic analyses and density functional theory simulations further confirm the existence of the donor-acceptor structure. Th-SMNPs exhibit excellent total photothermal efficiency (34.49%) in the near-infrared region (808 nm), which is a 60% improvement compared to SMNPs. This allows Th-SMNPs to exhibit excellent photothermal performance at low power 808 nm laser irradiation. Meanwhile, Th not only enhances the photothermal properties of SMNPs, but also imparts photodynamic effects to SMNPs. Th-SMNPs can produce 1 O2 under 660 nm laser irradiation. A dual-function photothermal and photodynamic textile named Th-SMNPs@cotton is constructed based on Th-SMNPs, which can act as a rapid photothermal/photodynamic sterilization and is promising for wound healing treatment of bacterial infections under low-power dual laser irradiation.

Novel Pyrazole-Based Transition Metal Complexes: Spectral, Photophysical, Thermal and Biological Studies

A novel bioactive Schiff base (HL) named 3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-((5-nitrosalicylidene)amino)pyrazole was prepared by condensing 5-amino-3-methyl-1-phenylpyrazole with 5-nitrosalicyldehyde in methanol on a heating mantle in refluxing condition for 1 h. Some transition metal complexes of the ligand in (1 : 1) and (1 : 2) have also been prepared by condensing the metal acetate salt with the synthesized Schiff base. The Schiff base and metal complexes were characterized by different physiochemical techniques, i. e., 1 H-NMR, InfraRed, mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, Ultraviolet-Visible, Cyclic voltammetry, electronic spectra and Electron spin resonance. The presence of water molecules in the complexes have been calculated with the help of thermogravimetric analysis. Kinetic parameters such that entropy change, enthalpy change and activation energy have been calculated with the help of Coats-Redfern equations. Fluorescence spectra showed enhancement in the fluorescence signal of the metal complexes. Square planar geometry for the copper complexes and octahedral geometry for the other metal complexes have been proposed with help of various methods. Biological activities of all the compounds have been carried out and the results disclosed that the metal complexes have high biological activity than the Schiff base having MIC value in the range 25-3.12 μg/mL and mycelial growth inhibition 60.82-96.98 %.

An injectable all-small-molecule dynamic metallogel for suppressing sepsis

All-small-molecule dynamic hydrogels have shown great promise in cell culture, tissue engineering, and controlled drug release. The further development of more kinds of all-small-molecule dynamic hydrogels is severely hindered by the lack of enough commensurate building blocks from nature and on the market. Inspired by the widely developed metal-organic framework structures, herein we report a facile fabrication of metallogels by direct gelation of small molecular compounds including aminoglycosides (AGs), 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxaldehyde (BIPY), and metal ions via coordination interactions and Schiff base reactions. These prepared metallogels exhibited good biodegradability and biosafety, excellent conductivity, tunable mechanical properties and potent antibacterial activities both in vitro and in vivo. This study provides a new strategy for expanding the scope of all-small-molecule dynamic metallogels for various biomedical applications.

Poly(levodopa)-Functionalized Polysaccharide Hydrogel Enriched in Fe3O4 Particles for Multiple-Purpose Biomedical Applications

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest in the use of curdlan, a naturally derived polymer, for medical applications. However, it is relatively inactive, and additives increasing its biomedical potential are required; for example, antibacterial compounds, magnetic particles, or hemostatic agents. The stability of such complex constructs may be increased by additional functional networks, for instance, polycatecholamines. The article presents the production and characterization of functional hydrogels based on curdlan enriched with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) or Fe₃O₄-based heterostructures and poly(L-DOPA) (PLD). Some of the prepared modified hydrogels were nontoxic, relatively hemocompatible, and showed high antibacterial potential and the ability to convert energy with heat generation. Therefore, the proposed hydrogels may have potential applications in temperature-controlled regenerative processes as well as in oncology therapies as a matrix of increased functionality for multiple medical purposes. The presence of PLD in the curdlan hydrogel network reduced the release of the NPs but slightly increased the hydrogel's hemolytic properties. This should be taken into account during the selection of the final hydrogel application.

MRI-visible mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles with enhanced antioxidant capacity for osteoarthritis therapy

Since the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) is closely associated with synovitis and cartilage destruction, the inhibition of inflammatory responses in synovial macrophages and reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced apoptosis in chondrocytes is crucial for OA amelioration. However, most of the current anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drugs are small molecules apt to be eliminated in vivo. Herein, mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (DAMM NPs) doped with arginine and manganese (Mn) ions were prepared to load dexamethasone (DEX) for OA intervention. A series of in vitro studies showed that the sustained release of DEX from DAMM NPs suppressed synovial inflammation and simultaneously inhibited toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) production in chondrocytes, contributing to prevention of chondrocyte apoptosis through the inflammatory factor-dependent TLR-3/NF-κB signaling pathway via modulation of macrophage-chondrocyte crosstalk. In addition, DAMM NPs exerted a predominant role in removal of ROS generated in chondrocytes. Therefore, the DEX-loaded DAMM NPs significantly attenuated OA development in mice model. Importantly, the T1-T2 magnetic contrast capabilities of DAMM NPs allowed an MRI-trackable delivery, manifesting a distinct feature widely regarded to boost the potential of nanomedicines for clinical applications. Together, our developed antioxidant-enhanced DAMM NPs with MRI-visible signals may serve as a novel multifunctional nanocarriers for prevention of OA progression.

A melanin-inspired robust aerogel for multifunctional water remediation

Solar-driven vapor generation has emerged as a promising wastewater remediation technology for clean water production. However, the complicated and diversified contaminants in wastewater still restrict its practical applications. Herein, inspired by the melanin in nature, a robust aerogel was facilely fabricated for multifunctional water remediation via a one-pot condensation copolymerization of 5,6-dihydroxyindole and formaldehyde. Benefiting from the superhydrophilicity, underwater superoleophobicity, and synergistic coordination effects, the resulting aerogel not only showed excellent performances in underwater oil resistance and oil-water separation ability, but also removed organic dyes and heavy metal ions contaminants in wastewater simultaneously. Moreover, owing to its admirable light harvesting capacity and porous microstructure for fast water transportation, the aerogel-based evaporator exhibited an excellent evaporation rate of 1.42 kg m^-2 h^-1 with a 91% evaporation efficiency under 1 sun illumination, which can be reused for long-term water evaporation. Note that such a stable evaporation rate could be maintained even in wastewater containing complex multicomponent contaminants. Outdoor evaporation experiments for lotus pond wastewater under natural sunlight also proved its great potential in practical applications. All those promising features of this all-in-one melanin-inspired aerogel may provide new strategies for the development of robust photothermal devices for multifunctional solar-driven water remediation.

Size Regulation of Polydopamine Nanoparticles by Boronic Acid and Lewis Base

Size regulation of polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) is vital to melanin-inspired materials. The general strategy usually focuses on tuning of the reaction parameters which could affect the dopamine (DA) monomer polymerization process, such as pH, temperature, monomer concentration, etc. The reaction between boronic acids and catechols to form boronic esters has been widely applied in many fields, but little attention has been paid in the size regulation of PDA NPs. Here, it is speculated that the fine size regulation of PDA NPs can be directly achieved by using boronic acids and Lewis base molecules. It is found that these issues could indeed significantly affect the stability of the boronic esters formed by boronic acids and DA, which may further inhibit the monomer polymerization kinetics and tune the particle size of the resulting PDA NPs. It is also found that the several intrinsic properties of PDA NPs such as the free radical scavenging ability, UV spectral absorption, photothermal behavior, and structural color all change with the particle size. It is believed that this work can provide new opportunities for fabricating melanin-inspired PDA NPs with well controlled size and properties.

Melanin-like nanoparticles loaded with Ag NPs for rapid photothermal sterilization and daily protection of textiles

The dual-function antibacterial and photothermal melanin-like nanoparticles (Ag NPs@Fe3+-SMNPs) were prepared and used for fabric modification. The modified fabric had excellent photothermal and antibacterial performance. By Xenon lamp irradiation, the temperature of the fabric surface rises rapidly to over 80 °C in 30 s. The modified fabric had the photothermal sterilization rates of 99% against E. coli or S. aureus after 10 min of Xenon lamp irradiation. Meanwhile, Ag NPs provided excellent antibacterial properties to the modified fabric used in daily life, and the antibacterial rate of the modified fabric was 99%. Additionally, the modified fabric showed excellent air and moisture permeability, and had excellent photothermal and antibacterial properties after 20 times of washing and 100 times of rubbing. The modified fabric was modified with the antibacterial and photothermal dual-function melanin-like nanoparticles, showing great potential in personal protective equipment (such as masks) to meet people's needs in the future.

Robust and multifunctional natural polyphenolic composites for water remediation

The scarcity of clean water has become a global environmental problem which constrains the development of public health, economy, and sustainability. In recent years, natural polyphenols have drawn increasing interests as promising platforms towards diverse water remediation composites and devices, owing to their abundant and renewable resource in nature, highly active surface chemistry, and multifunctionality. This review aims to summarize the most recent advances and highlights of natural polyphenol-based composite materials (e.g., nanofibers, membranes, particles, and hydrogels) for water remediation, by focusing on their structural and functional features, as well as their diversified applications including membrane filtration, solar distillation, adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, and disinfection. Finally, the future challenges in this field are also prospected. It is anticipated that this review will provide new opportunities towards the future development of natural polyphenols and other kinds of naturally occurring molecules in water purification applications.

Melanin Nanoparticle-Actuated Redox-State Perturbation and Temporally Photoactivated Thermal Stress for Synergistic Tumor Therapy

The elevation of antioxidant defense systems by adaptation response to localized reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation may confer resistance to excessive oxidative stress and cause therapeutic lethality. Herein, a highly effective tumor therapy is developed through perturbation in cellular redox homeostasis. Specifically, metal-ion-assisted oxidation polymerization of the melanin precursor (l-DOPA) whose carboxyl groups exert a charge-shielding effect leads to the formation of catechol-rich but quinone-deficient nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs possess appreciable ROS-scavenging ability, and particularly the raised quinone group levels in oxidized products can then trigger subsequent depletion of antioxidative species (GSH) and, in turn, the redox-cycle consumption of catechol/quinone groups. After incubating with cells, varying degrees of redox-state and energy metabolism fluctuations with time (∼6 h) are observed, where ROS/GSH levels rebound to a maximum peak (up to ∼280%) higher than the normal redox state after hitting the bottom within a short time (1 h). Notably, systematically triggered redox stress response can sensitize cells to an extremely endangered metastable state. The synergy of temporally photoactivated thermal stress can produce overwhelming oxidative stress, thus leading to significant inhibition of cancer cells. This work established a new paradigm of redox perturbator-based programed and combined cancer therapy.

Redox-activity of polydopamine for ultrafast preparation of self-healing and adhesive hydrogels

The high adhesive property of polydopamine (PDA) has spurred various hydrogels for biological and medical applications. Herein, a dual-catalytic redox system was constructed by using the inner dynamic redox-activity of PDA and free radical initiator ammonium persulfate (APS) to initiate the polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) monomer to obtain Fe-PDA hydrogels within 2 h at room temperature. Fe-PDA NPs functions as both initiator to activate APS to generate free radicals and promotes the formation of the hydrogel and dynamic cross-linking mediator between the polymer chains. The tensile strength and ductility of the obtained hydrogels vary with the content of Fe-PDA NPs. Hydrogel with 0.15 wt% of Fe-PDA NPs has the highest tensile strength (~0.62 MPa) and hydrogel with 0.6 wt% of Fe-PDA NPs has the highest elongation, about ~650%. The introduction of PDA NPs imparts PAA hydrogel with reproducible adhesive properties and self-healing ability. The doped iron ion further endows hydrogel enhanced photothermal properties (up to 160 ℃ with 808 nm laser irradiation for 120 s) and conductivity.

Functional Nanomaterials Based on Self-Assembly of Endogenic NIR-Absorbing Pigments for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications

Endogenic pigments derived from hemoglobin have been successfully applied in the clinic for both imaging and therapy based on their inherent photophysical and photochemical properties, including light absorption, fluorescence emission, and producing reactive oxygen species. However, the clinically approved endogenic pigments can be excited only by UV/vis light, restricting the penetration depth of in vivo applications. Recently, endogenic pigments with NIR-absorbing properties have been explored for constructing functional nanomaterials. Here, the overview of NIR-absorbing endogenic pigments, mainly bile pigments, and melanins, as emerging building blocks for supramolecular construction of diagnostic and therapeutic nanomaterials is provided. The endogenic origins, synthetic pathways, and structural characteristics of the NIR-absorbing endogenic pigments are described. The self-assembling approaches and noncovalent interactions in fabricating the nanomaterials are emphasized. Since bile pigments and melanins are inherently photothermal agents, the resulting nanomaterials are demonstrated as promising candidates for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. Integration of additional diagnostic and therapeutic agents by the nanomaterials through chemical conjugation or physical encapsulation toward synergetic effects is also included. Especially, the degradation behaviors of the nanomaterials in biological environments are summarized. Along with the challenges, future perspectives are discussed for accelerating the ration design and clinical translation of NIR-absorbing nanomaterials.

Highly Transparent and Self-Healable Solar Thermal Anti-/Deicing Surfaces: When Ultrathin MXene Multilayers Marry a Solid Slippery Self-Cleaning Coating

Solar anti-/deicing can solve icing problems by converting sunlight into heat. One of the biggest problems, which has long been plaguing the design of solar anti-/deicing surfaces, is that photothermal materials are always lightproof and appear black, because of the mutual exclusiveness between generating heat and retaining transparency. Herein, a highly transparent and scalable solar anti-/deicing surface is reported, which enables the coated glass to exhibit high transparency (>77% transmittance at 550 nm) and meanwhile causes a >30 °C surface temperature increase relative to the ambient environment under 1.0 sun illumination. Such a transparent anti-/deicing surface can be fabricated onto a large class of substrates (e.g., glass, ceramics, metals, plastics), by applying a solid omniphobic slippery coating onto layer-by-layer-assembled ultrathin MXene multilayers. Hence, the surface possesses a self-cleaning ability to shed waterborne and oil-based liquids thanks to residue-free slipping motion. Passive anti-icing and active deicing capabilities are, respectively, obtained on the solar thermal surface, which effectively prevents water from freezing and simultaneously melts pre-formed ice and thick frost. The self-cleaning effect enables residue-free removal of unfrozen water and interfacially melted ice/frost to boost the anti-/deicing efficiency. Importantly, the surface is capable of self-healing under illumination to repair physical damage and chemical degradation.

Layer-by-Layer Assembled Smart Antibacterial Coatings via Mussel-Inspired Polymerization and Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

Bacterial colonization on the surface of medical implanted devices and bacterial infection-induced biofilm have been a lethal risk for patients of clinical treatment. While antibacterial coatings fabricated by layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly techniques have been well explored, the facile preparation of substrate-independent smart antibacterial coatings with on-demand antibiotics release profile and excellent antibacterial performance is still urgently needed. In this work, this goal is addressed by LBL assembly fabrication of robust antibacterial coatings using naturally occurring and commercially available building blocks (i.e., aminoglycosides, 5,6-dihydroxyindole, and formylphenylboronic acid) via the subsequentially performed mussel-inspired polymerization and dynamic covalent chemistries. The resulting antibacterial coatings on different substates all presente a dynamic feature (i.e., pH-responsive), on-demand antibiotics release properties, and highly effective antibacterial performance both in vitro and in vivo. It is envisioned that this work can expand the scope of LBL assembly technique toward the next generation of robust and universal antibacterial coating materials by using natural building blocks and readily available chemistries.

Co-Assembly of Colloids and Eumelanin Nanoparticles in Droplets for Structural Pigments with High Saturation

Colloidal crystals have been used to develop structural colors. However, incoherent scattering causes the colors to turn whitish, reducing the color saturation. To overcome the problem, light-absorbing additives have been incorporated. Although various additives have been used, most of them are not compatible with a direct co-assembly with common colloids in aqueous suspensions. Here, the authors suggest eumelanin nanoparticles as a new additive to enhance the color chroma. Eumelanin nanoparticles are synthesized to have diameters of several nanometers by oxidative polymerization of precursors in basic solutions. The nanoparticles carry negative charges and do not weaken the electrostatic repulsion among same-charged polystyrene particles when they are added to aqueous suspensions. To prove the effectiveness of eumelanin as a saturation enhancer, the authors produce photonic balls through direct co-assembly of polystyrene and eumelanin using water-in-oil emulsion droplets, while varying the weight ratio of eumelanin to polystyrene. The high crystallinity of colloidal crystals is preserved for the ratio up to at least 1/50 as the eumelanin does not perturb the crystallization. The eumelanin effectively suppresses incoherent scattering while maintaining the strength of structural resonance at an optimum ratio, improving color chroma without compromising brightness.

Folic Acid-Conjugated Gold Nanostars for Computed Tomography Imaging and Photothermal/Radiation Combined Therapy

Fabrication of multifunctional nanoprobes, which integrate tumor targeting, imaging, and effective treatment, has been widely explored in nanomedicine. In the present study, we fabricated tumor-targeting polymer folic acid-terminated polyethylene glycol thiol-modified gold nanostars (GNS-FA), which could realize X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging and PTT/RT synergistic therapy. The synthesized GNS-FA exhibited good biocompatibility. GNS-FA could be used as a CT imaging contrast agent due to the strong X-ray attenuation of Au. GNS-FA exhibited good near-infrared (NIR) light absorption and excellent photothermal conversion performance, making them promising photothermal transduction agents (PTAs). Furthermore, GNS-FA could be used as an RT sensitizer to enhance the radio-mediated cell death due to the high atomic number (high Z) of gold. Hence, GNS-FA were used as the CT imaging agent, PTA, and radiosensitizer in this work. The in vitro antitumor experiments showed that the PTT/RT combined treatment had enhanced anticancer efficacy compared with the monotherapy (PTT or RT). Our results indicated that the bioconjugated GNS could offer an excellent nanoplatform for CT imaging-guided PTT/RT combined cancer therapy in the future.

Polydopamine antibacterial materials

Recently, the development of polydopamine (PDA) has demonstrated numerous excellent performances in free radical scavenging, UV shielding, photothermal conversion, and biocompatibility. These unique properties enable PDA to be widely used as efficient antibacterial materials for various applications. Accordingly, PDA antibacterial materials mainly include free-standing PDA materials and PDA-based composite materials. In this review, an overview of PDA antibacterial materials is provided to summarize these two types of antibacterial materials in detail, including the fabrication strategies and antibacterial mechanisms. The future development and challenges of PDA in this field are also presented. It is hoped that this review will provide an insight into the future development of antibacterial functional materials based on PDA.

A Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine-Filled Cellulose Aerogel for Solar-Enabled Water Remediation

A solar steam generation method has been widely investigated as a sustainable method to achieve seawater desalination and sewage treatment. However, oil pollutants are usually emitted in real seawater or wastewaters, which can cause serious fouling problems to disturb the solar evaporation performance. In this work, a mussel-inspired, low-cost, polydopamine-filled cellulose aerogel (PDA-CA) has been rationally designed and fabricated with both superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity. The resulting PDA-CA device could also achieve a high solar evaporation rate of 1.36 kg m^-1 h^-1 with an 86% solar energy utilize efficiency under 1 sun illumination. In addition, the PDA-CA not only exhibited promising antifouling capacity for long-term water evaporation but also engaged in the effective adsorption of organic dye contaminants. These promising features of PDA-CA may offer new opportunities for developing multifunctional photothermal devices for solar-driven water remediation.

Stimuli-responsive polydopamine-based smart materials

This review provides in-depth insight into the structural engineering of PDA-based materials to enhance their responsive feature and the use of them in construction of PDA-based stimuli-responsive smart materials.

Polyphenol scaffolds in tissue engineering

Polyphenols are a class of ubiquitous compounds distributed in nature, with fascinating inherent biocompatible, bioadhesive, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. The unique polyphenolic structures based on catechol or pyrogallol moieties allow for strong non-covalent interactions (e.g., multiple hydrogen bonding, electrostatic, and cation-π interactions) as well as covalent interactions (e.g., Michael addition/Schiff-base reaction, radical coupling reaction, and dynamic coordination interactions with boronate or metal ions). This review article provides an overview of the polyphenol-based scaffolds including the hydrogels, films, and nanofibers that have emerged from chemical and functional signatures during the past years. A full description of the structure-function relationships in terms of their utilization in wound healing, bone regeneration, and electroactive tissue engineering is also carefully discussed, which may pave the path towards the rational design and facile preparation of next-generation polyphenol scaffolds for tissue engineering applications.

Polydopamine free radical scavengers

This feature article summarizes the recent progress, challenges and future directions of free radical scavengers based on polydopamine, including the integrated mechanism, current regulating strategies, and kinds of biomedical applications.