As an engineer, I initially aimed to steer clear of research endeavors driven solely by the desire to publish or to satisfy mere intellectual curiosity, which often holds little practical value. However, during my PhD journey, my PI consistently encouraged me to find joy in research, make meaningful contributions to the academic community, and prioritize understanding fundamental phenomena. In this regard, polydopamine chemistry was an ideal area of investigation for me. With its simple processing and exceptional ability to adhere to a variety of surfaces, polydopamine has dominated the field of surface functionalization over the last decade. Despite its widespread use, the mechanisms behind its adhesion to low surface energy materials were not well understood. Our research took a rational molecular design approach, ultimately unveiling that the binding of polydopamine to low surface energy substrates is initiated by the solubility limits of the growing oligomers in polar environments. This finding clarity unlocks opportunities to harness and tailor polydopamine chemistry. I invite you to explore our findings and share in the excitement of this scientific discovery.
What a dopaministic work! It will unleash many things indeed. Many congrats!
Congrats Jiwon! Really nice paper
Director of NSF Center of Complex Particles and Particle Systems / Chirality / Complex materials / Combining order and disorder
7moGreat study, Jiwon!