Highly controlled coating of biomimetic polydopamine in TiO2 nanotubes

Highly controlled coating of biomimetic polydopamine (PDA) was achieved on titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) by exposing TiO2 NT arrays to a slightly alkaline dopamine solution. The thin films act as photonic sensitizers (enhancing photocurrents and photodegradation) in the visible light range. The PDA coatings can furthermore be used as a platform for decorating the TiO2 NTs with different co-catalysts and metal nanoparticles (NPs). (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.