The Synthesis, Structure and Property Behavior of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Network Materials Prepared by The Sol Gel Process

Abstract

The synthesis, structure/property behavior of inorganic-organic hybrid network materials prepared by the sol gel process have been chronologically reviewed with emphasis on those systems prepared in the authors laboratory. Specific features of reactions as well as the nature of reactants are included. The morphological features of these “ceramer” systems formed have many features in common even though the reactants may be quite different. The mechanical properties of the final materials in conjunction with SAXS have proven beneficial in establishing the basics of their morphological texture. Finally, it is demonstrated how microwave radiation in some cases, can serve as an efficient way in processing the ceramer systems.

Polymer-Titanium hybrids obtained by radical polymerization and Sol-Gel process

“…Inorganic-polymer hybrids represent a relative recent field of study [1][2][3][4]. The inorganic network could be easily obtained by the sol-gel process of metallic alkoxides [1][2][3][4].…”

“…The inorganic network could be easily obtained by the sol-gel process of metallic alkoxides [1][2][3][4]. This process consists in hydrolysis and condensation of mentioned alkoxides.…”

“…The reactivity of the titanium alkoxides is higher than the silicium ones. For this reason proper method checks of this process have been developed: the controlled rate of addition of water [3,4,6], the complexation of alkoxides followed by controlled hydrolysis [3,7]. Some papers show that the control of sol-gel process was done in controlled humid medium [5,8].…”

“…Covalent bonds between polymeric and inorganic chains could be obtained together, if titanium and silicium (alkyl trialkoxide) compounds with C-Si bounds stable in sol-gel reaction are used [3,4,6,10].…”

“…The importance of titanium hybrid studies could be explained by superior properties (refractive index and physico-mechanic) compared with silicium compounds [3,4], increasing of thermal stability of used polymers [5], changing of glass transition [4,5] and melting [8] temperature of macromolecular component.…”