Eumelanin Coating of Silica Aerogel by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Deposition of a 5,6-Dihydroxyindole Thin Film

Eumelanin integration in silica aerogel (SA) was achieved via supercritical adsorption of 5,6-dyhydroxyindole (DHI) from CO2. Notably, after the supercritical treatment, DHI evolved towards spontaneous polymerization, which resulted in uniform pigment development over the SA. The new material was characterized for its morphological and physicochemical properties, disclosing the formation of a eumelanin-like coating, as confirmed by UV-vis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy.