Perspectives on poly(dopamine)

Poly(dopamine) has emerged in recent years as a readily accessible synthetic analogue of the naturally occurring melanins. However, the polymer's structure has proved difficult to unambiguously elucidate and a variety of models have been proposed. Despite these challenges, poly(dopamine) has found extraordinary utility in a range of applications including surface coatings, biotechnology and biomedicine, and water purification membranes. Most of these applications take advantage of the robust polymer films that deposit onto a wide range of surfaces, as well as its inertness to harsh chemical environments. In view of the expansion of interest in poly(dopamine), we provide perspective on this material, focusing on its history, chemical relationship to melanins, recent applications, and potential areas for future study.