Mussel-Inspired Polymer-Based Universal Spray Coating for Surface Modification: Fast Fabrication of Antibacterial and Superhydrophobic Surface Coatings

Although mussel-inspired surface chemistry is one of the most utilized strategies for surface functionalization, its practical and/or industrial applications are rather limited, because dip coating can only treat small surface areas and is dependent on the coating vessel. Herein a mussel-inspired, polymer-based, multifunctional, and substrate-independent spray coating strategy for surface modification under extremely mild conditions using mussel-inspired polyglycerol is described. The postfunctionalization of the obtained surface via spray coating with silver nanoparticles results in a nanoparticle embedded coating with excellent, long-term antibacterial properties. Furthermore, a simple method for preparing a superhydrophobic, highly water-repellent coating by coformulation of the mussel-inspired spray coating with hydrophobic nanoparticles is presented.