Sea Slag-Inspired Modification of Carbon Nanoparticles ^†

It is well known that some living organisms use different adaptation mechanisms to survive and thrive [1]. One of the outstanding examples of adaptation are marine gastropod mollusks Elysia marginata and Elysia atroviridis (sea slags) [2]. After being decapitated, these living organisms have an ability not only to survive but also to revive and grow again. These invertebrates inspire us to conduct a modification of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) containing Csp²-hybridized carbons using cyclooligosiloxanes containing redox-active metallocenes. In the CNP modification, the cyclooligosiloxanes containing redox-active metallocenes at first lose some of their parts (cyclopentadienyl ring) in the presence of the catalytic mixture, and coordinate to a wall of CNPs. Then, these cyclooligosiloxanes undergo cationic ring opening polymerization catalysis by one of the components of the catalytic mixture, and a polysiloxane chain grows.

The successful modification of CNPs using (poly)siloxanes containing redox-active metallocenes was confirmed by means of Raman and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopies and transmission electron microscopy. The modified CNPs have good compatibility with the polysiloxane matrix and an improved distribution in it.

In this mollusk-inspired modification of CNPs, along with the grafting of the polysiloxane chain on the surface of carbon nanotubes, we introduced redox-active centers on the surface of the CNPs. This, in turn, significantly broadened the application of the modified CNPs as promising components of electrochemical sensors, biosensors [3] and energy storage devices [4].