Dispersing silicon nanoparticles with a stirred media mill and subsequent functionalization with phenyl acetylene

Silicon particles were dispersed in 1-butanol using a stirred media mill. Morphology, size and bulk structure of untreated, ground and styrenyl-functionalized silicon nanoparticles (SiNP) were examined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The amorphous oxide shell of the SiNP was removed by hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching. The resulting hydride (H)-terminated SiNP surfaces were functionalized with styrene via hydrosilylation of phenyl acetylene. Evidences for the styrenyl termination of the SiNP through SiC bonds were obtained from diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and HRTEM.