Titania as a driving agent for DHICA polymerization: a novel strategy for the design of bioinspired antimicrobial nanomaterials

Abstract

Organic materials are widely employed to tune surface chemistry and/or as structuring agents of inorganic materials. Here, we propose a novel synthesis approach whereby TiO₂ not only promotes 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) polymerization but also acts as a templating agent for the formation itself. Hybrid TiO₂–DHICA melanin nanostructures have been produced, showing biocide activity even under visible light conditions (activation). Hybrid nanostructures have been analyzed and characterized by multiple techniques, proving that both organic and inorganic phases strongly affect each other during in situ formation, as far as it concerns both morphology and microstructure, conferring unique biocide properties to the resulting nanomaterials. This strategy ensures much more far-reaching implementation in the synthesis of hybrid nanosystems, opening new perspectives in the design of multifunctional materials.