Mussel-Inspired Surface Engineering for Water-Remediation Materials

Mussel-inspired chemistry, as a powerful tool to manipulate material properties, has been widely studied and implemented in surface engineering of a variety of materials for multipurpose functionalization. With the rapid development of this field, more flexible and efficient modification strategies for surface engineering and application modes have been developed recently. It is therefore critical to update the broader scientific community on the important advances in this interdisciplinary field. Here, we summarize recent progress in mussel-inspired chemistry and its emerging applications in water remediation. The reaction and adhesion mechanisms of polydopamine, as well as its chemical and physical properties, are discussed. The functionalization strategies are categorized into post-functionalization, co-deposition, and pre-modification, and the roles of mussel-inspired surface coatings are highlighted in filtration, adsorbing, and catalytic materials as well as the burgeoning area of photothermal distillation materials.