The inert nature of most commercial polymers and nanomaterials results in limitations of applications in various industrial fields. This can be solved by surface modifications to improve physicochemical and biological properties, such as adhesion, printability, wetting and biocompatibility. Polymer functionalization allows to graft specific moieties and conjugate molecules that improve material performances. In the last decades, several approaches have been designed in the industry and academia to graft functional groups on surfaces. Here, we review surface decoration of polymers and nanomaterials, with focus on major industrial applications in the medical field, textile industry, water treatment and food packaging. We discuss the advantages and challenges of polymer functionalization. More knowledge is needed on the biology behind cell–polymer interactions, nanosafety and manufacturing at the industrial scale.

大多数商业聚合物和纳米材料的惰性性质导致在各种工业领域中的应用受到限制。这可以通过表面改性来解决，以改善物理化学和生物学特性，例如附着力，可印刷性，润湿性和生物相容性。聚合物功能化允许接枝特定部分和共轭分子，从而改善材料性能。在过去的几十年中，工业界和学术界已经设计了几种方法来将官能团嫁接到表面上。在这里，我们回顾聚合物和纳米材料的表面装饰，重点是医疗领域，纺织工业，水处理和食品包装中的主要工业应用。我们讨论了聚合物功能化的优点和挑战。