REVIEW article
Front. Chem.
Sec. Polymer Chemistry
Advances and Applications in Medical Coating Materials: A Comprehensive Review
Xinmeng Yang 1
Xiaoling Yu 2
Shuiwei Qiu 3,4
1. Heart Center, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao, China
2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao, China
3. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Quzhou City People's Hospital, Quzhou, China
4. School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
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Abstract
This review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on medical-coating materials. Fundamental theories are examined with respect to material taxonomy, physicochemical properties, biocompatibility profiles, and antimicrobial mechanisms. Clinical applications are reviewed for implants, wound dressings, catheters, and endovascular stents. Technological advances are highlighted in nanotechnology, surface-modification strategies, and the development of stimulus-responsive "smart" coatings. The analysis traces the field's evolution, noting its growing market and clinical adoption, while identifying persistent challenges in long-term biosafety and translation. Future directions are projected toward synergistic modification for multifunctionality, patient-specific designs, and next-generation intelligent systems. By integrating contemporary research, this review aims to inform and guide the future development and clinical application of advanced coating technologies.
Summary
Keywords
Bioactivity, Biocompatibility, Medical-coating, Surface modification, Synergistic modification
Received
04 December 2025
Accepted
21 January 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Yang, Yu and Qiu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Shuiwei Qiu
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.