A Facile Surface Modification Scheme for Medical-Grade Titanium and Polypropylene Using a Novel Mussel-Inspired Biomimetic Polymer with Cationic Quaternary Ammonium Functionalities for Antibacterial Application

Medical device-associated infection remains a critical problem in the healthcare setting. Different clinical- or device-related methods have been attempted to reduce the infection rate. Among these approaches, creating a surface with bactericidal cationic functionality has been proposed. To do so, a sophisticated multi-step chemical procedure would be needed. Instead, a simple immersion approach was utilized in this investigation to render the titanium and polypropylene surface with the quaternary ammonium functionality by using a mussel-inspired novel lab-synthesized biomimetic catechol-terminated polymer, PQA-C8. The chemical oxidants, CuSO4/H2O2, as well as dopamine, were added into the novel PQA-C8 polymer immersion solution for one-step surface modification. Additionally, a two-step immersion scheme, in which the polypropylene substrate was first immersed in the dopamine solution and then in the PQA-C8 solution, was also attempted. Surface analysis results indicated the surface characteristics of the modified substrates were affected by the immersion solution formulation as well as the procedure utilized. The antibacterial assay has shown the titanium substrates modified by the one-step dopamine + PQA-C8 mixtures with the oxidants added and the polypropylene modified by the two-step scheme exhibited bacterial reduction percentages greater than 90% against both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli and these antibacterial substrates were non-cytotoxic.

Chemical Modification of Oxidized Polyethylene Enables Access to Functional Polyethylenes with Greater Reuse

Polyethylene is a commodity material that is widely used because of its low cost and valuable properties. However, the lack of functional groups in polyethylene limits its use in applications that include adhesives, gas barriers, and plastic blends. The inertness of polyethylene makes it difficult to install groups that would enhance its properties and enable programmed chemical decomposition. To overcome these deficiencies, the installation of pendent functional groups that imbue polyethylene with enhanced properties is an attractive strategy to overcome its inherent limitations. Here, we describe strategies to derivatize oxidized polyethylene that contains both ketones and alcohols to monofunctional variants with bulk properties superior to those of unmodified polyethylene. Iridium-catalyzed transfer dehydrogenation with acetone furnished polyethylenes with only ketones, and ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation with hydrogen furnished polyethylenes with only alcohols. We demonstrate that the ratio of these functional groups can be controlled by reduction with stoichiometric hydride-containing reagents. The ketones and alcohols serve as sites to introduce esters and oximes onto the polymer, thereby improving surface and bulk properties over those of polyethylene. These esters and oximes were removed by hydrolysis to regenerate the original oxygenated polyethylenes, showing how functionalization can lead to materials with circularity. Waste polyethylenes were equally amenable to oxidative functionalization and derivatization of the oxidized material, showing that this low- or negative-value feedstock can be used to prepare materials of higher value. Finally, the derivatized polymers with distinct solubilities were separated from mechanically mixed plastic blends by selective dissolution, demonstrating that functionalization can lead to novel approaches for distinguishing and separating polymers from a mixture.

Novel pH-sensitive catechol dyes synthesised by a three component one-pot reaction

The synthesis and characterisation of new dyes based on indolizines bearing catechol groups in their structure is presented. The preparation was carried out through a simple three component one-pot reaction promoted by CuNPs/C, between pyridine-2-carbaldehyde, an aromatic alkyne and a tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) functionalized with catechol groups. The products were isolated in 30%-34% yield, which was considered more than acceptable considering that the catechol hydroxyl groups were not protected prior to reaction. In view of the colour developed by the products and their response to the acidic and basic conditions of the medium, product 3aa was studied by UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopies at different pH values. We concluded that product 3aa suffered two deprotonations at pK_a of 4.4 and 9.5, giving three species in a pH range between 2-12, with colours varying from light red to deep orange. The reversibility of the process observed for 3aa at different pH values, together with its changes in colour, make this new family of products attractive candidates to use them as pH indicators.

Tailor-made Glycopolymers via Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization: Design, Properties and Applications

Investigating the underlying mechanism of biological interactions using glycopolymer is becoming increasingly important owing to their unique recognition properties. The multivalent interactions between lectin and glycopolymer are significantly influenced by...

Polypseudorotaxane and polydopamine linkage-based hyaluronic acid hydrogel network with a single syringe injection for sustained drug delivery

Polypseudorotaxane structure and polydopamine bond-based crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels including donepezil-loaded microspheres were developed for subcutaneous injection. Both dopamine and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were covalently bonded to the HA polymer for catechol polymerization and inclusion complexation with alpha-cyclodextrin (α-CD), respectively. A PEG chain of HA-dopamine-PEG (HD-PEG) conjugate was threaded with α-CD to make a polypseudorotaxane structure and its pH was adjusted to 8.5 for dopamine polymerization. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)/donepezil microsphere (PDM) was embedded into the HD-PEG network for its sustained release. The HD-PEG/α-CD/PDM 8.5 hydrogel system exhibited an immediate gelation pattern, injectability through single syringe, self-healing ability, and shear-thinning behavior. Donepezil was released from the HD-PEG/α-CD/PDM 8.5 hydrogel in a sustained pattern. Following subcutaneous injection, the weight of excised HD-PEG/α-CD/PDM 8.5 hydrogel was higher than the other groups on day 14. These findings support the clinical feasibility of the HD-PEG/α-CD/PDM 8.5 hydrogel for subcutaneous injection.

Functionalized Particles Designed for Targeted Delivery

Pure bioactive compounds alone can only be exceptionally administered in medical treatment. Usually, drugs are produced as various forms of active compounds and auxiliary substances, combinations assuring the desired healing functions. One of the important drug forms is represented by a combination of active substances and particle-shaped polymer in the nano- or micrometer size range. The review describes recent progress in this field balanced with basic information. After a brief introduction, the paper presents a concise overview of polymers used as components of nano- and microparticle drug carriers. Thereafter, progress in direct synthesis of polymer particles with functional groups is discussed. A section is devoted to formation of particles by self-assembly of homo- and copolymer-bearing functional groups. Special attention is focused on modification of the primary functional groups introduced during particle preparation, including introduction of ligands promoting anchorage of particles onto the chosen living cell types by interactions with specific receptors present in cell membranes. Particular attention is focused on progress in methods suitable for preparation of particles loaded with bioactive substances. The review ends with a brief discussion of the still not answered questions and unsolved problems.

Combining Inducible Lectin Expression and Magnetic Glyconanoparticles for the Selective Isolation of Bacteria from Mixed Populations

The selective isolation of bacteria from mixed populations has been investigated in varied applications ranging from differential pathogen identification in medical diagnostics and food safety to the monitoring of microbial stress dynamics in industrial bioreactors. Selective isolation techniques are generally limited to the confinement of small populations in defined locations, may be unable to target specific bacteria, or rely on immunomagnetic separation, which is not universally applicable. In this proof-of-concept work, we describe a novel strategy combining inducible bacterial lectin expression with magnetic glyconanoparticles (MGNPs) as a platform technology to enable selective bacterial isolation from cocultures. An inducible mutant of the type 1 fimbriae, displaying the mannose-specific lectin FimH, was constructed in Escherichia coli allowing for "on-demand" glycan-binding protein presentation following external chemical stimulation. Binding to glycopolymers was only observed upon fimbrial induction and was specific for mannosylated materials. A library of MGNPs was produced via the grafting of well-defined catechol-terminal glycopolymers prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to magnetic nanoparticles. Thermal analysis revealed high functionalization (≥85% polymer by weight). Delivery of MGNPs to cocultures of fluorescently labeled bacteria followed by magnetic extraction resulted in efficient depletion of type 1 fimbriated target cells from wild-type or afimbriate E. coli. Extraction efficiency was found to be dependent on the molecular weight of the glycopolymers utilized to engineer the nanoparticles, with MGNPs decorated with shorter Dopa-(ManAA)₅₀ mannosylated glycopolymers found to perform better than those assembled from a longer Dopa-(ManAA)₂₀₀ analogue. The extraction efficiency of fimbriated E. coli was also improved when the counterpart strain did not harbor the genetic apparatus for the expression of the type 1 fimbriae. Overall, this work suggests that the modulation of the genetic apparatus encoding bacterial surface-associated lectins coupled with capture through MGNPs could be a versatile tool for the extraction of bacteria from mixed populations.

Bio-inspired surface modification of iron oxide nanoparticles for active stabilization in hydrogels

Biological materials employ a variety of dynamic interactions in sophisticated composite structures to function adaptively on different time and length scales. Inspired by such designs we develop a novel surface modification approach to promote dynamic interactions between nanoparticles and polymer chains in physical and double network hydrogels. Physical hydrogels are formed via reversible complexation of borate ions with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and chemical crosslinks are introduced by electron beam irradiation. Dopamine is used for surface modification of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) in two different ways: the direct treatment results in anchoring via catechol groups, whereas the indirect method leaves the catechol group on the free surface of MNPs. Although the former particles show very good colloidal stability, they lower the network connectivity, which results in lower plateau modulus, faster terminal relaxation, and lower yield stress, presumably due to imposing an extra distance between PVA chains. In contrast to this passive design, the latter particles actively reinforce the network by forming clusters of physical bonds between catechol groups of the individual particles and the monodiol complexes of the borate ions and PVA chains. Moreover, the additional complexes formed upon the introduction of nanoparticles with active surfaces provide further energy dissipation potential and therefore enhance the toughness. This approach can help develop novel hydrogels with superior toughness and multiple stimuli-responsiveness.

Sequence-defined positioning of amine and amide residues to control catechol driven wet adhesion

Catechol and amine residues, both abundantly present in mussel adhesion proteins, are known to act cooperatively by displacing hydration barriers before binding to mineral surfaces. In spite of synthetic efforts toward mussel-inspired adhesives, the effect of positioning of the involved functional groups along a polymer chain is not well understood. By using sequence-defined oligomers grafted to soft hydrogel particles as adhesion probes, we study the effect of catechol-amine spacing, as well as positioning relative to the oligomer terminus. We demonstrate that the catechol-amine spacing has a significant effect on adhesion, while shifting their position has a small effect. Notably, combinations of non-charged amides and catechols can achieve similar cooperative effects on adhesion when compared to amine and catechol residues. Thus, these findings provide a blueprint for the design of next generation mussel-inspired adhesives.

Thermomagneto-Responsive Smart Biocatalysts for Malonyl-Coenzyme A Synthesis

Smart biocatalysts, in which enzymes are conjugated to stimuli-responsive polymers, have gained considerable attention because of their catalytic switchability and recyclability. Although many systems have been developed, they require separate laboratory techniques for their recovery, making them unsuitable for many practical applications. To address these issues, we designed a thermomagneto-responsive biocatalyst by immobilizing an enzyme on the terminal of thermo-responsive polymer brushes tethered on magnetic nanoparticle (NP) clusters. The concept is demonstrated by a system consisting of iron oxide NPs, poly(N-isopropyl-acrylamide), and a malonyl-Coenzyme A synthetase (MatB). By using free malonate and coenzyme A (CoA), the designed catalyst exhibits adequate activity for the production of malonyl-CoA. Thanks to the use of a magnetic NP cluster, whose magnetic moment is high, this system is fully recoverable under the magnetic field at above 32 °C because of the collapse of the thermo-responsive polymer shell in the clusters. In addition, the recycled catalyst maintains moderate activity even after three cycles, and it also shows excellent catalytic switchability, that is, negligible catalytic activity at 25 °C because of the blockage of the active sites of the enzyme by the extended hydrophilic polymer chains but great catalytic activity at a temperatures above the lower critical solution temperature at which the enzymes are exposed to the reaction medium because of the thermo-responsive contraction of polymer chains. Because the azide functionality in our system can be easily functionalized depending upon our need, such catalytically switchable, fully recoverable, and recyclable multiresponsive catalytic systems can be of high relevance for other cell-free biosynthetic approaches.

Synthesis of lipase–polymer conjugates by Cu(0)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization: polymerization vs. degradation

Cu(0)-RDRP was first used for the polymerization-induced self-assembly of lipase–polymer conjugates, inducing the formation of nanospheres with preserved activity and degradability.

Enhancement performance of application mussel-biomimetic adhesive primer for dentin adhesives

In this study, a bioinspired adhesive primer monomer was prepared and evaluated for durable adhesion between dentin and composite resins.

Unnatural Oligoaminosaccharides with N-1,2-Glycosidic Bonds Prepared by Cationic Ring-Opening Polymerization of 2-Oxazoline-Based Heterobicyclic Sugar Monomers

Glycooligomers and glycopolymers (glycocompounds) play important roles in maintaining homeostasis in biological systems. Glycobiology is a burgeoning area in the elucidation of biological systems for which the molecular design of glycocompounds requires further diversification, including both natural and unnatural glycocompounds. Herein, we proposed a synthesis strategy based on the chain polymerization of deliberately designed sugar monomers. Unnatural oligoaminosaccharides comprising N-1,2-glycosidic bonds were synthesized without enzymes through the cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-oxazoline-based heterobicyclic sugar monomers. To achieve this, a heterobicyclic monomer [Glc(MeOx)], comprising protected glucosamine (GlcN) and 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MeOx) rings, was designed. This monomer was polymerized using a binary initiating system of tert-butyl iodide (t-BuI) and GaCl₃ to afford oligo[Glc(MeOx)]. The resulting structure corresponded to the condensation product of GlcN with N-1,2-glycosidic bonds. After deprotection of oligo[Glc(MeOx)], the resulting oligoaminosaccharide had a secondary structure different to that of protected oligo[Glc(MeOx)]. Owing to the N-1,2-glycosidic bonds, the oligoaminosaccharide was not degraded by chitinase, which hydrolyzes the condensation product of GlcN with O-1,4-glycosidic bonds.

Enhanced Adhesion and Cohesion of Bioinspired Dry/Wet Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

The byssus-mediated adhesion of marine mussels is a widely mimicked system for robust adhesion in both dry and wet conditions. Mussel holdfasts are fabricated from proteins that contain a significant amount of the unique catecholic amino acid dihydroxyphenylalanine, which plays a key role in enhancing interfacial adhesion to organic and inorganic marine surfaces and contributes to cohesive strength of the holdfast. In this work, pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) were synthesized by copolymerization of dopamine methacrylamide (DMA) with common PSA monomers, butyl acrylate and acrylic acid, with careful attention paid to the effects of catechol on adhesive and cohesive properties. A combination of microscopic and macroscopic adhesion assays was used to study the effect of catechol on adhesion performance of acrylic PSAs. Addition of only 5% DMA to a conventional PSA copolymer containing butyl acrylate and acrylic acid resulted in 6-fold and 2.5-fold increases in work required to separate the PSA from silica and polystyrene, respectively, and a large increase in 180° peel adhesion against stainless steel after 24 h storage in both ambient and underwater conditions. Moreover, the holding power of the catechol PSAs on both steel and high-density polyethylene under shear load continuously increased as a function of catechol concentration, up to a maximum of 10% DMA. We also observed stark increases in shear and peel adhesion for the catecholic adhesives over PSAs with noncatecholic aromatic motifs, further underlining the benefits of catechols in PSAs. Overall, catechol PSAs perform extremely well on polar and metallic surfaces. The advantage of incorporating catechols in PSA formulations, however, is less straightforward for peel adhesion in nonpolar, organic substrates and tackiness of the PSAs.

Synthesis and modification of uniform PEG-neridronate-modified magnetic nanoparticles determines prolonged blood circulation and biodistribution in a mouse preclinical model

Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with uniform sizes of 10, 20, and 31 nm were prepared by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) oleate or mandelate in a high-boiling point solvent (>320 °C). To render the particles with hydrophilic and antifouling properties, their surface was coated with a PEG-containing bisphosphonate anchoring group. The PEGylated particles were characterized by a range of physicochemical methods, including dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and magnetization measurements. As the particle size increased from 10 to 31 nm, the amount of PEG coating decreased from 28.5 to 9 wt.%. The PEG formed a dense brush-like shell on the particle surface, which prevented particles from aggregating in water and PBS (pH 7.4) and maximized the circulation time in vivo. Magnetic resonance relaxometry confirmed that the PEG-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles had high relaxivity, which increased with increasing particle size. In the in vivo experiments in a mouse model, the particles provided visible contrast enhancement in the magnetic resonance images. Almost 70% of administrated 20-nm magnetic nanoparticles still circulated in the blood stream after four hours; however, their retention in the tumor was rather low, which was likely due to the antifouling properties of PEG.

Bioinspired Metal⁻Polyphenol Materials: Self-Healing and Beyond

The blue mussel incorporates the polyphenolic amino acid l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) to achieve self-healing, pH-responsiveness, and impressive underwater adhesion in the byssus threads that ensure the survival of the animal. This is achieved by a pH-dependent and versatile reaction chemistry of polyphenols, including both physical interactions as well as reversible and irreversible chemical bonding. With a short introduction to the biological background, we here review the latest advances in the development of smart materials based on the metal-chelating capabilities of polyphenols. We focus on new ways of utilizing the polyphenolic properties, including studies on the modifications of the nearby chemical environment (on and near the polyphenolic moiety) and on the incorporation of polyphenols into untraditional materials.

Magnetic glyconanoparticles for selective lectin separation and purification

A modular platform for the separation and purification of lectins using polymer coated iron oxide nanoparticles is developed.

Synthesis of chitosan-mimicking cationic glycopolymers by Cu(0)-LRP for efficient capture and killing of bacteria

A schematic representation of the preparation of cationic magnetic glyconanoparticles by Cu(0)-LRP to efficiently capture, kill and separate E. coli from water.

Robust and Biocompatible Functionalization of ZnS Nanoparticles by Catechol-Bearing Poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)s

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) are particularly interesting materials for their electronic and luminescent properties. Unfortunately, their robust and stable functionalization and stabilization, especially in aqueous media, has represented a challenging and not yet completely accomplished task. In this work, we report the synthesis of colloidally stable, photoluminescent and biocompatible core-polymer shell ZnS and ZnS:Tb NPs by employing a water-in-oil miniemulsion (ME) process combined with surface functionalization via catechol-bearing poly-2-methyl-2-oxazoline (PMOXA) of various molar masses. The strong binding of catechol anchors to the metal cations of the ZnS surface, coupled with the high stability of PMOXA against chemical degradation, enable the formation of suspensions presenting excellent colloidal stability. This feature, combined with the assessed photoluminescence and biocompatibility, make these hybrid NPs suitable for optical bioimaging.

Brønsted base mediated one-pot synthesis of catechol-ended amphiphilic polysarcosine-b-poly(N-butyl glycine) diblock copolypeptoids

Catechol moiety offers a versatile platform in the preparation of functionalized polymers, but it is not usually compatible with catalysis in polymerizations. To address these challenges, we suggest employment of one Brønsted base in masking the activity of catechol moiety and to modulate the polymerization. Based on this strategy, the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of sarcosine N-carboxyanhydrides (Sar-NCA) was carried out using dopamine hydrochloride as an initiator and triethylamine as a Brønsted base. PSar with predicted molecular weights (M n,NMR=3.7 kg mol−1) and narrow dispersities (Đ<1.13) was prepared. Catechol initiator was successfully linked to PSar end as confirmed by MALDI-ToF MS. Subsequently, copolymerization of N-butyl glycine N-carboxyanhydrides (Bu-Gly-NCA) from the PSar in one-pot produced catechol end-functionalized amphiphilic polysarcosine-block-poly(N-butyl glycine) diblock copolypeptoids (cat-PSar-b-PGlyBu). Further, cat-PSar-b-PGlyBu enabled the aqueous dispersion of manganese oxide nanoparticles which was attributable to the anchor of the diblock copolymers onto the surface of the nanoparticles. The strategy for catechol masking and polymerization mediating by one Brønsted base offered a new avenue into the synthesis of catechol-ended block copolymers.

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.

Catechol End-Functionalized Polylactide by Organocatalyzed Ring-Opening Polymerization

There is a great interest in incorporating catechol moieties into polymers in a controlled manner due to their interesting properties, such as the promotion of adhesion, redox activity or bioactivity. One possibility is to incorporate the catechol as end-group in a polymer chain using a functional initiator by means of controlled polymerization strategies. Nevertheless, the instability of catechol moieties under oxygen and basic pH requires tedious protection and deprotection steps to perform the polymerization in a controlled fashion. In the present work, we explore the organocatalyzed synthesis of catechol end-functional, semi-telechelic polylactide (PLLA) using non-protected dopamine, catechol molecule containing a primary amine, as initiator. NMR and SEC-IR results showed that in the presence of a weak organic base such as triethylamine, the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide takes place in a controlled manner without need of protecting the cathechol units. To further confirm the end-group fidelity the catechol containing PLLA was characterized by Cyclic Voltammetry and MALDI-TOF confirming the absence of side reaction during the polymerization. In order to exploit the potential of catechol moieties, catechol end-group of PLLA was oxidized to quinone and further reacted with aliphatic amines. In addition, we also confirmed the ability of catechol functionalized PLLA to reduce metal ions to metal nanoparticles to obtain well distributed silver nanoparticles. It is expected that this new route of preparing catechol-PLLA polymers without protection will increase the accessibility of catechol containing biodegradable polymers by ROP.

Simple and Green Strategy for the Synthesis of "Pathogen-Mimetic" Glycoadjuvant@AuNPs by Combination of Photoinduced RAFT and Bioinspired Dopamine Chemistry

Innate immune responses recognizing pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) play a crucial role in adaptive immunity. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) contribute to antigen capture, uptake, presentation and activation of immune responses. In this contribution, metal-free reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N-3,4-dihydroxybenzenethyl methacrylamide (DMA) and 2-(methacrylamido) glucopyranose (MAG) under sunlight irradiation using 2-cyanoprop-2-yl-α-dithionaphthalate (CPDN) as iniferter agent, can be employed to fabricate the multivalent glycopolymer containing bioresponsive sugar group and multifunctional catechol functionalities. The polymerization behavior is investigated and it presents controlled features. Moreover, bioinspired dopamine chemistry can be successfully utilized to form in situ glycopolymer-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) without the need of additional reducing reagent, design "pathogen-mimetic" glycoadjuvant recognized by both CLRs and TLRs. The synthetic glycoadjuvant is found to enhance the adjuvant activity as "infected signals" in vitro.

The effect of linker length on ConA and DC-SIGN binding of S-glucosyl functionalized poly(2-oxazoline)s

A series of poly(2-oxazoline) based glycopolymers with different linkers were prepared via thiol–ene click reaction and cationic ring opening reaction. The binding of these polymers to lectins were studied.

Significant Performance Enhancement of Polymer Resins by Bioinspired Dynamic Bonding

Marine mussels use catechol-rich interfacial mussel foot proteins (mfps) as primers that attach to mineral surfaces via hydrogen, metal coordination, electrostatic, ionic, or hydrophobic bonds, creating a secondary surface that promotes bonding to the bulk mfps. Inspired by this biological adhesive primer, it is shown that a ≈1 nm thick catecholic single-molecule priming layer increases the adhesion strength of crosslinked polymethacrylate resin on mineral surfaces by up to an order of magnitude when compared with conventional primers such as noncatecholic silane- and phosphate-based grafts. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that catechol groups anchor to a variety of mineral surfaces and shed light on the binding mode of each molecule. Here, a ≈50% toughness enhancement is achieved in a stiff load-bearing polymer network, demonstrating the utility of mussel-inspired bonding for processing a wide range of polymeric interfaces, including structural, load-bearing materials.

Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Biomacromolecules and their Conjugates by Single Electron Transfer-Living Radical Polymerization

Single electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP) represents a robust and versatile tool for the synthesis of vinyl polymers with well-defined topology and chain end functionality. The crucial step in SET-LRP is the disproportionation of the Cu(I)X generated by activation with Cu(0) wire, powder, or nascent Cu(0) generated in situ into nascent, extremely reactive Cu(0) atoms and nanoparticles and Cu(II)X₂. Nascent Cu(0) activates the initiator and dormant chains via a homogeneous or heterogeneous outer-sphere single-electron transfer mechanism (SET-LRP). SET-LRP provides an ultrafast polymerization of a plethora of monomers (e.g., (meth)-acrylates, (meth)-acrylamides, styrene, and vinyl chloride) including hydrophobic and water insoluble to hydrophilic and water soluble. Some advantageous features of SET-LRP are (i) the use of Cu(0) wire or powder as readily available catalysts under mild reaction conditions, (ii) their excellent control over molecular weight evolution and distribution as well as polymer chain ends, (iii) their high functional group tolerance allowing the polymerization of commercial-grade monomers, and (iv) the limited purification required for the resulting polymers. In this Perspective, we highlight the recent advancements of SET-LRP in the synthesis of biomacromolecules and of their conjugates.

Bioinspired coating of TiO2nanoparticles with antimicrobial polymers by Cu(0)-LRP: grafting to vs. grafting from

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles coated with non-leachable biocides were prepared by Cu(0)-LRP of tertiary-amine-containing monomersvia“grafting to” and “grafting from” strategies.

Mussel-inspired thermoresponsive polymers with a tunable LCST by Cu(0)-LRP for the construction of smart TiO2 nanocomposites

Thermoresponsive polymers with different microstructures, a tunable LCST and terminal catechol anchors were synthesized by Cu(0)-LRP for the surface functionalization of TiO₂ nanoparticles.