Electrochemical Behavior of a Polydopamine Nanofilm

Polydopamine is a multifunctional polymer that has recently been employed for surface modification. However, the mechanism of polydopamine formation is not well understood. In this communication, electrochemistry was employed to study the polymerization of dopamine. The behavior of polydopamine nanofilms on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass surface was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy through the self-polymerization of dopamine in basic conditions. The chemical components and the redox behavior were analyzed and showed the presence of noncovalent dopamine in the nanofilms and the dopamine/dopaminequinone redox peak was maximal in pH 7.0 buffer. The study provides fundamental information regarding the chemical components and electrochemical behavior of polydopamine.