Synthesis of poly(dihydroxystyrene-block-styrene) (PDHSt-b-PSt) by the RAFT process and preparation of organic-solvent-dispersive Ag NPs by automatic reduction of metal ions in the presence of PDHSt-b-PSt

Aqueous dispersion and tuning surface charges of polytetrafluoroethylene particles by bioinspired polydopamine-polyethyleneimine coating via one-step method

We propose a surface modification of poorly dispersive polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles via bioinspired polydopamine-polyethyleneimine (PDA-PEI) which conferred PTFE particles a uniform dispersion in aqueous medium. With increasing dopamine concentration in the reaction solution, dispersity of PTFE particles improved and the surface charges of particles changed from negative to positive due to an increase of surface coverage of PDA-PEI layers. Simplicity of the method here outlines an attractive route for surface modification of inert surfaces useful for large-scale applications.

Biomimetic catechol-based adhesive polymers for dispersion of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles in an aqueous medium

Biomimetic synthetic functional materials are valuable for a large number of practical applications with improved or tunable performance. In this paper, we present a series of mussel-inspired biomimetic catechol-containing copolymers synthesized from dopamine methacrylamide (DMA) and 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl acrylate (EEA) and abbreviated as poly(PDMA-PEEA). The successfully synthesized adhesive polymers allow adhering polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and were used for coating PTFE particles in organic solvent and re-dispersion in an aqueous medium. Adhesive polymer coated PTFE particles were efficiently used as a nanoreactor for generating silver (Ag) metal nanoparticles (NPs).

Self-assembled microrings of Au nanoparticle and Au nanorod clusters formed at the equators of Janus particles

A method for fabricating polymer Janus particles with microring structures at their equators has been developed. This method allows gold nanoparticles and nanorods to be aligned and densely packed along the microrings.

A method for fabricating polymer Janus particles with metal nanoparticle microring structures at their equators has been developed.

Recent Trends in Mussel-Inspired Catechol-Containing Polymers (A Review)

Syntheses and applications of mussel-inspired polymeric materials have gained a foothold in research in recent years. Mussel-inspired chemistry coupled to Michael addition and Schiff’s base reactions was the key success for this intensive research. Unequivocally, The basic building brick of these materials is catechol-containing moiety, namely, 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA or DOPA) and dopamine (DA). These catechol-based units within the chemical structure of the material ensure chiefly its adhesive characteristic to adherends of different natures. The newly-made catechol-bearing polymeric materials exhibit unique features, implying their importance in several uses and applications. Technology advent is being advantaged with these holdfast mussel protein-like materials. This review sheds light into the recent advances of such mussel-inspired materials for their adhesion capacity to several substrata of different natures, and for their applications mainly in antifouling coatings and nanoparticles technology.

Core-shell cylinder (CSC) nanotemplates comprising mussel-inspired catechol-containing triblock copolymers for silver nanoparticle arrays and ion conductive channels

Catechol moieties, which are found in mussel-adhesive proteins, allow the interaction of various kinds of materials that results in substantial adhesion to a wide variety of materials and in the reduction of metal ions to solid metals. Various types of catechol-containing polymers mimicking adhesion and reduction properties have been reported, however, due to its reactivity to a wide variety of functional groups, only a few reports about the formation of block and sequence controlled copolymers containing catechol groups. This is the first report about the synthesis of triblock copolymers containing catechol groups by reversible-addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The synthesized triblock copolymer forms a core-shell cylinder (CSC) phase-separated structure, in which PVCa domains located the surface of cylinders, and it works as a template for silver nanoparticle arrays and a proton conductive channel. Since triblock copolymer has broader latitude to form phase-separated structures, the triblock copolymer containing catechol groups can be suitable for templates of inorganic nanoparticle arrays.

Formation of unusual microphase-separated ultrathin films of poly(vinyl catechol-block-styrene) (PVCa-b-PSt) at the air–water interface by solution casting onto water

Formation of ultrathin films of poly(vinyl catechol-block-styrene) (PVCa-b-PSt) at the air–water interface was accomplished by mixing a THF solution with the water phase followed by solvent evaporation.

Proton Conductivities of Lamellae-Forming Bioinspired Block Copolymer Thin Films Containing Silver Nanoparticles

Size-controlled metal nanoparticles (NPs) were spontaneously formed when the amphiphilic diblock copolymers consisting of poly(vinyl catechol) and polystyrene (PVCa-b-PSt) were used as reductants and templates for NPs. In the present study, the proton conductivity of well-aligned lamellae structured PVCa-b-PSt films with Ag NPs was evaluated. We found that the proton conductivity of PVCa-b-PSt film was increased 10-fold by the addition of Ag NPs into the proton conduction channels filled with catechol moieties. In addition, the effect of humidity and the origin of proton conductivity enhancement was investigated.