Kim Hoyun, Lee Dokyeong, Jung Young Jae, Yang Sung Ho, Lee Hye Jin, Lee Hong-In, Lee Jungkyu K
Department of Chemistry, Green-Nano Materials Research Center, Kyungpook National University Daegu 41566 South Korea
Department of Chemistry Education, Korea National University of Education Cheongju 28173 South Korea.
Chem Sci. 2025 Jul 22. doi: 10.1039/d5sc04938e.
Polydopamine (PDA), a synthetic melanin, has recently emerged as a photoreactive material, contrasting with its conventional role in photoprotection. In particular, its photochemical reactivity under visible light offers a new perspective on the role of melanin and opens up potential applications in biomedical engineering and energy conversion. However, the mechanism of the visible light-induced reactions is still not well understood, necessitating further systematic investigation. To address this challenge, we carefully investigated its photoredox catalysis under visible-light irradiation, focusing on electron transfer processes in the presence of triethanolamine as an electron donor. We explored various aspects, including its size-dependent reactivity, electrochemical and photophysical properties, and the characterization of generated radical species. Furthermore, we sought to optimize photoinitiated polymerization under various reaction conditions, such as different concentrations, monomers, and atmospheres. The use of water as a solvent is generally considered safe and poses minimal risk to human health and safety compared to many organic solvents. These results are crucial for advancing the understanding of melanin's photoredox catalytic mechanism and for developing innovative biocompatible photoreactive materials.
聚多巴胺（PDA）是一种合成黑色素，最近已成为一种光反应性材料，这与其在光保护中的传统作用形成对比。特别是，它在可见光下的光化学反应性为黑色素的作用提供了新的视角，并在生物医学工程和能量转换方面开辟了潜在的应用。然而，可见光诱导反应的机制仍未得到很好的理解，需要进一步进行系统研究。为应对这一挑战，我们仔细研究了其在可见光照射下的光氧化还原催化作用，重点关注在三乙醇胺作为电子供体存在下的电子转移过程。我们探索了各个方面，包括其尺寸依赖性反应性、电化学和光物理性质，以及所产生自由基物种的表征。此外，我们试图在各种反应条件下优化光引发聚合，例如不同的浓度、单体和气氛。与许多有机溶剂相比，使用水作为溶剂通常被认为是安全的，对人类健康和安全造成的风险最小。这些结果对于推进对黑色素光氧化还原催化机制的理解以及开发创新的生物相容性光反应性材料至关重要。
