The Polymer Society of Korea

Abstract

Polydopamine (PDA) coatings are widely used for universal surface modification, yet their structural stability relies on noncovalent cation–π interactions, resulting in poor resistance under strongly basic or polar aprotic conditions. Here, we report a reaction-driven polymer coating strategy that replaces weak noncovalent interactions with chemically fixed covalent networks. By coupling catechol and diamine building blocks via a Michael addition pathway, we form oligo(catechol)–diamine polymer coatings with C–N covalent backbones. The resulting films exhibit excellent stability in harsh chemical environments and retain accessible primary amine groups for post-functionalization, providing a robust and scalable platform for functional interface design.