abstract |
Microparticles including an organic coating covalently bound to an inorganic substrate are produced in one step by grinding the substrate while immersed in a reactive coating agent. Preferably, a silicon substrate is ground in the presence of an alkene to generate alkyl-coated silicon particles. The particle coatings are robustly attached to the particle cores through Si--C bonds. Various solids such as semiconductors can be used as substrates. The coatings can include various organic radicals, halogen atoms, or hydrogen. The particles can be used as stationary phases for chromatography, as substrates for biological assays, as polymer additives, or as catalyst supports. |