Polydopamine in Ionic Liquids: Bridging Experiment and Computation for Structural Elucidation

Polydopamine (PDA), inspired by mussel adhesive proteins, can stick to almost any surface, making it useful in many fields like medicine, chemistry, and energy. Despite its popularity, the structure of PDA has remained a mystery due to its insolubility in common solvents. This research used ionic liquids to dissolve PDA and study its formation. By combining experiments and computer simulations, it was found that PDA forms stable structures through molecular interactions. This work provides new insights into PDA’s previously unknown structure, potentially leading to better applications in various industries.