Polyphenols rich in catechol and gallol functional groups and are found in both plant and animal tissues, where they serve a variety of functions including mechanical adhesion, structural support, pigmentation, radiation protection, and chemical defense. The interfacial adhesion of polyphenols is exemplified by the adhesive proteins secreted by sessile marine organisms, which contain high levels of 3,4-dihydroxy-L-alanine (DOPA), an amino acid that is believed to be important in adhesion to substrates. In plants, polyphenolic compounds containing benzenediol (catechol) and/or benzenetriol (gallol) functional groups are widely distributed secondary metabolites with a variety of biochemical and physical functions. Included among these are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Consumption of foods and beverages rich in polyphenols, such as chocolate, tea and wine, are claimed to be beneficial to one’s health. This talk will focus on selected catechol or gallol containing biological polyphenols used as building blocks for polymers and coatings. Exploiting their natural interfacial adhesion properties, we have engineered a method to form thin adherent polymerized films on substrates immersed in solutions of natural plant polyphenols. Deposition is facile from an aqueous polyphenol solution onto a variety of solid, porous and nanoparticulate metals, ceramics and polymers. In addition to possessing inherent antibacterial and antioxidant properties, the deposited polyphenol films serve as versatile ‘primers’ facilitating secondary modifications of the primer coating such as metallization and covalent grafting of biomolecules and synthetic polymers. These coatings can be exploited for a variety of practical applications, including antibacterial, antioxidant and fouling resistant coatings on medical devices, metal deposition, plasmonic tuning and surface functionalization of nanoparticles, and surface modification of organ-on-a-chip devices.

Natural and bioinspired polyphenols as multifunctional coatings

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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