Microplasma-induced rapid polymerization of tannic acid for surface modification

Tannic acid (TA), a plant polyphenol, is a promising modification tool for forming multifunctional coatings on various substrates by polymerization. However, for their potential application, it is still need to develop green method for the rapid and controllable polymerization of TA. In this work, we propose a fast and environmentally-friendly strategy to achieve controllable polymerization of TA by microplasma electrochemistry. The microplasma cathode could trigger and significantly accelerate the polymerization process of TA. The real-time control of the ON/OFF mode and the polymerization rate could be realized by adjusting the input current. The TA polymer coating was created by a microplasma cathode. The microplasma electrochemistry strategy provided a novel alternative solution to trigger polymerization and was then used to perform the surface modification of materials made from phenolic compounds. Microplasma electrochemistry (MIPEC) method can induce and accelerate the polymerization of tannic acid (TA) and form a polymer coating on various substrates, which is a quick, controllable and green method.