One-step modification of fabrics with bioinspired polydopamine@octadecylamine nanocapsules for robust and healable self-cleaning performance.

An in-situ polymerization to coat fabrics with polydopamine-encapsulated octadecylamine endows the fabrics with self-cleaning and self-healing abilities. The treated fabric exhibits self-healing after losing its hydrophobicity. It is durable against washing and mechanical abrasion without changing the hydrophobicity. Thanks to the versatile adhesive property of polydopamine, the approach is compatibile with a variety of substrates, such as fabrics, glass, sponge, paper, and polymeric materials.

High-resolution, large-area, serial fabrication of 3D polymer brush structures by parallel dip-pen nanodisplacement lithography.

Parallel dip-pen nanodisplacement lithography (p-DNL) is used for high resolution, serial fabrication of 3D structures of polymer brushes over millimeter length scales. With p-DNL, 2D initiator templates consisting of arrays of nanolines and nanodots with rationally designed lateral spacings are fabricated in parallel via a locally tip-induced nanodisplacement process, from which highly defined 3D polymer structures are grown via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization.

Hairy polyelectrolyte brushes-grafted thermosensitive microgels as artificial synovial fluid for simultaneous biomimetic lubrication and arthritis treatment.

We report the fabrication of poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt) (PSPMK) brushes grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) microgels and their potential as artificial synovial fluid for biomimetic aqueous lubrication and arthritis treatment. The negatively charged PSPMK brushes and thermosensitive PNIPAAm microgels play water-based hydration lubrication and temperature-triggered drug release, respectively. Under soft friction pairs, an ultralow coefficient of friction was achieved, while the hairy thermosensitive microgels showed a desirable temperature-triggered drugs release performance. Such a soft charged hairy microgel offers great possibility for designing intelligent synovial fluid. What is more, the combination of lubrication and drug loading capabilities enables the large clinical potential of novel soft hairy nanoparticles as synthetic joint lubricant fluid in arthritis treatment.