Abstract Polydopamine is extensively researched in multiple disciplines due to its ability to coat various solid substrates and undergo secondary functionalization. However, a drawback of polydopamine is its tendency to degrade under strong alkaline conditions. This study aims to address this limitation. Specifically, it is observed that the stability of polydopamine significantly increases when it forms a complex with zirconium (IV). Furthermore, the polydopamine/zirconium (IV) complex demonstrates efficient incorporation of amine compounds, opening up possibilities for further applications.