Methods of Forming Carbene-Functionalized Composite Materials

A method for forming a carbene-functionalized composite material, comprising:

• forming a carbene precursor by
• oxidizing a starting anion of a carbene precursor in the presence of water and CO2, or exchanging a starting anion of a carbene precursor via a hydrogen carbonate-anion exchange resin, and
• forming a purified carbene precursor comprising a final hydrogen carbonate anion that is substantially free of the starting anion;
• reducing a metal salt in the presence of the purified carbene precursor;
• and
• forming a carbene-functionalized composite material,
• the composite material comprising carbene-functionalized nanoparticles or nanoclusters.

A carbene-functionalized composite material, comprising:

• a material having at least a metal surface;
• and
• a carbene monolayer that is uniform, stable, and substantially free of contamination,
• the monolayer being sourced from a purified carbene precursor;
• wherein:
• the monolayer interacts with the metal surface;
• and
• the purified precursor is sourced from a carbene precursor having a starting anion that is exchanged for a final hydrogen carbonate anion such that the purified precursor and the monolayer is substantially free of the starting anion.

A carbene-functionalized composite material comprising:

• a lipid layer or a polysaccharide matrix;
• a material having at least one metal surface;
• a carbene monolayer that is uniform, stable, and substantially free of contamination,
• the monolayer being sourced from a purified carbene precursor;
• wherein:
• the monolayer interacts with the metal surface and the lipid layer or polysaccharide matrix, the monolayer being located between the lipid layer or polysaccharide matrix and the metal surface;
• and
• the purified precursor is sourced from a carbene precursor having a starting anion that is exchanged for a final hydrogen carbonate anion such that the purified precursor and the monolayer is substantially free of the starting anion.