Mussel-inspired chemistry

An alternative approach to immobilize organic compounds such as MPC to metal substrates is the use of mussel-inspired chemistry. Mussels can rapidly and permanently adhere to all types of inorganic and organic surfaces in aqueous environments. Such adhesive properties rely on repeats of the 3,4-dihydro)q7-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) motif found in the foot protein of mussels. Although the exact mechanism of adhesion is not fully understood, it has been widely speculated that the 3,4-dihydro)qq3henyl (DHP) group of DOPA is responsible for the adhesion. When a polymer with DHP groups was placed in contact with a metal substrate, a thin polymer film was observed to spontaneously deposit on the surface. Functionalization of such a polymer was then able to impart new characteristics to the metal substrate. 

Barrett DG, Eullenkamp DE, He L, Holten-Andersen N, Lee KYC, Messersmith PB (2013) pH-Based regulation of hydrogel mechanical properties through mussel-inspired chemistry and processing. Adv Eunct Mater 23 1111-1119... 

Lee H, Dellatore SM, Miller WM, Messersmith PB. Mussel-inspired surface chemistry for multifunctional coatings. Science 2007 318 426-430. 

Chemical reduction is the most frequently applied method for the preparation of silver nanoparticles as stable, colloidal dispersions in water or organic solvents. However, a number of alternative green chemistry synthesis routes have been reported. Inspired by mussel adhesive proteins, a novel functional polyurethane based on hydrolyzable tannins that contain a number of catechol groups was... 

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