Bioinspired Metal–Polyphenol Materials: Self-Healing and Beyond
Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Aarhus University, 14 Gustav Wieds Vej, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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Biomimetics 2019, 4(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics4020030
Received: 28 February 2019 / Revised: 24 March 2019 / Accepted: 25 March 2019 / Published: 4 April 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biogenic and Bioinspired Self-Healing Materials)
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.
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Keywords:
coordination chemistry; catechols; mussel-inspired; self-healing; phenols; tannins; DOPA; multifunctional materials
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MDPI and ACS Style
Andersen, A.; Chen, Y.; Birkedal, H. Bioinspired Metal–Polyphenol Materials: Self-Healing and Beyond. Biomimetics 2019, 4, 30.
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