The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Interfacial assembly in biological systems is crucial for structural integrity and adaptive functionality, yet the soft and flexible nature of biointerfaces, especially in aqueous environments, poses challenges for material-centric biointerface engineering. To address this, we propose polyphenol-based interfacial engineering. The catechol- and galloyl-rich motifs of polyphenols enable diverse molecular interactions favorable in water, making them versatile building blocks for the bottom-up assembly of nanoscale coatings and interfacial architectures. To demonstrate this, we introduce two recent studies: (1) the PAINT technique for site-specific fabrication of melanin-like pigments on soft matter via controlled interfacial polymerization, and (2) a liquid-core fiber system integrating liquid-like diffusion with solid-like mechanical support. Together, these examples highlight polyphenol-based assemblies as a promising platform for functional and bioinspired soft matter interfaces.