Surface modification of inorganic materials

For biomaterials as well as heterogeneous catalysts, the surface plays a prominent role by interacting directly with the cells and biomolecules or with the reactants. For a multi-component system, such as a nanocomposite or an electronic device, the interface governs mechanical or electronic properties.

In this transverse theme, we modify surfaces or interfaces at the molecular scale by grafting organic monolayers. This approach allows us to control physical, chemical, or biological surface/interface properties with an extremely small amount of organic compound (<1 nmol/cm²). We develop organosilicon (e.g. organotriacoxysilanes) and organophosphorus (e.g. phosphonates) compounds terminated by a variety of functional groups ("coupling agents") and methods for the functionalization of of a wide range of inorganic surfaces (silica, oxides, phosphates, metals, nanodiamonds...).

The modified surfaces are characterized by complementary methods (contact angle measurements, XPS, FTIR, solid state NMR).

The main applications are diverse: hydrophobation, compatibilization, adhesion, tribology, bioadhesion (antimicrobial coatings), separation, catalysis, Pickering emulsions...

Main research activities

Functionalization of flat surfaces (metals, oxides), of porous materials (hybrid materials for supported catalysis, separation, electrochemistry) or layered materials (exfoliation, selective grafting), of nanoparticles (nanocomposites, phase transfers)
Organosilicon coupling agents: anchoring of biomolecules (peptides) for biomedical applications
Organophosphorus coupling agents: phosphonic acids and derivatives, modification of metallic and oxide surfaces, model interfaces
Modification of carbon surfaces: sels de diazonium, réaction de Diels-Alder, organophosphorus acid chlorides

Selected publications

(1) Phosphonate coupling molecules for the control of surface/interface properties and the synthesis of nanomaterials, Guerrero, G.; Alauzun, J. G.; Granier, M.; Laurencin, D.; Mutin, P. H. Dalton Trans. 2013, 42, 12569-12585.
(2) New triethoxysilylated 10-vertex closo-decaborate clusters. Synthesis and controlled immobilization into mesoporous silica,, Abi-Ghaida, F.; Laila, Z.; Ibrahim, G.; Naoufal, D.; Mehdi, A. Dalton Trans. 2014, 43, 13087-13095.
(3) Bioorganic hybrid OMS by straightforward grafting of trialkoxysilyl peptides, Jebors, S.; Enjalbal, C.; Amblard, M.; Mehdi, A.; Subra, G.; Martinez, J. J. Mater. Chem. B 2013, 1, 2921-2925.
(4) In vitro and in vivo characterization of antibacterial activity and biocompatibility, A study on silver-containing phosphonate monolayers on titanium, Tilmaciu, C.-M.; Mathieu, M.; Lavigne, J.-P.; Toupet, K.; Guerrero, G.; Ponche, A.; Amalric, J.; Noël, D.; Mutin, P. H. Acta Biomaterialia 2015, 15, 266-277.
(5) Simultaneous Phase Transfer and Surface Modification of TiO2 Nanoparticles Using Alkylphosphonic Acids: Optimization and Structure of the Organosols, Schmitt Pauly, C.; Genix, A.-C.; Alauzun, J. G.; Guerrero, G.; Appavou, M.-S.; Perez, J.; Oberdisse, J.; Mutin, P. H. Langmuir 2015, 31, 10966-10974.
(6) Single- and Double-Layered Organically Modified Nanosheets by Selective Interlayer Grafting and Exfoliation of Layered Potassium Hexaniobate, Kimura, N.; Kato, Y.; Suzuki, R.; Shimada, A.; Tahara, S.; Nakato, T.; Matsukawa, K.; Mutin, P. H.; Sugahara, Y. Langmuir 2014, 30, 1169-1175.
(7) Anchoring of Phosphorus-Containing Cobaltabisdicarbollide Derivatives to Titania Surface, Juarez-Perez, E. J.; Mutin, P. H.; Granier, M.; Teixidor, F.; Nunez, R. Langmuir 2010, 26, 12185-12189.
(8) Simple and Specific Grafting of Antibacterial Peptides on Silicone Catheters, Coline Pinese, Said Jebors, Cécile Echalier, Patricia Licznar-Fajardo, Xavier Garric, Vincent Humblot, Christophe Calers, Jean Martinez, Ahmad Mehdi and Gilles Subra Adv. Healthc. Mater. 2016, 5, 3067-3073
(9) Bioactive peptides grafted silicone dressings, A simple and specific method, Coline Pinese, Said Jebors, Pierre-Emmanuel Stoebner, Vincent Humblot, Pascal Verdié, Léa Causse, Xavier Garric, Hubert Taillades, Jean Martinez, Ahmad Mehdi and Gilles Subra Materials Today Chemistry 2017, 4, 73-83

Collaborations (outside ICGM)

Prof. G. Ramanath (Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY); Prof. Y. Sugahara (Waseda University, Tokyo); Dr. Christel Gervais (UPMC, Paris); Dr. Rosario Nunez (ICMAB, Barcelona); Dr. Danièle Noël, Dr. Marc Mathieu (INM, Montpellier); Dr. G. Subra (IBMM); Dr. Julian Oberdisse et Dr. Caroline Genix (LCC, Montpellier); Dr. Franck Martin, (Sikémia).