Rapid photocontrollable dopamine polymerization for instant adaptive wet adhesion.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine-based adhesives offer strong, versatile adhesion through diverse interactions but are limited by slow, poorly controlled oxidative polymerization and dopamine's inhibition of radical polymerization. We present an efficient photochemical strategy for in-situ fabrication of high-performance polydopamine-containing hydrogels with instant wet adhesion. By integrating a scalable synthesis of a protected dopamine derivative with rational photochemical design, we enable simultaneous, light-controlled oxidative and radical polymerizations, forming interpenetrated hydrogel networks within seconds. The resulting tough adhesives exhibit high polydopamine content and strong adhesion across diverse wet and dry substrates, outperforming conventional polydopamine-coated systems. This rapid, ligh

SUBMITTER: Lu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12780208 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature