Melanin synthesis under oxygen pressure

Melanins are promising materials for organic bioelectronics devices like transistors, sensors and batteries. In this study, the chemical structural changes of melanin synthesized by the auto‐oxidation of l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (l‐DOPA) were analyzed for a new synthetic procedure that uses oxyg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer international 2016-11, Vol.65 (11), p.1339-1346
Main Authors: Bronze-Uhle, Erika Soares, Paulin, João Vitor, Piacenti-Silva, Marina, Battocchio, Chiara, Rocco, Maria Luiza Miranda, Graeff, Carlos Frederico de Oliveira
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
accelerated synthesis
Carbonyl groups
Devices
Fourier transforms
Homogeneity
Light scattering
Melanin
Oxygen
oxygen pressure
solubility
Synthesis
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Summary:Melanins are promising materials for organic bioelectronics devices like transistors, sensors and batteries. In this study, the chemical structural changes of melanin synthesized by the auto‐oxidation of l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (l‐DOPA) were analyzed for a new synthetic procedure that uses oxygen under pressure (4−8 atm). TEM, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform IR, NMR and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the material. Under oxygen pressure, melanin synthesis is accelerated; the polymer obtained is found to have structural differences, most notably a higher number of carbonyl groups and different surface charges compared to conventional synthetic melanin. As a consequence it has higher homogeneity and is soluble in water. To explain these findings a reaction mechanism is proposed based on current melanogenesis models. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry Melanin was synthesized by a new procedure using O2 pressure. In this procedure, the synthesis is accelerated with higher DHICA/DHI ratio, higher homogeneity, different surface charge and solubility in water.
ISSN:0959-8103
1097-0126
DOI:10.1002/pi.5185