Publications Details
New hybrid polysilane/polysiloxane nanocomposites
AIBN-iniliated functionalization of polyphenylsilane with allyl(ethoxy) silanes generates (elhoxysilylpropyl)polysilanes in good yield. Amorphous polysilane-polysiloxane hybrid nanocomposites can be prepared by the mild, acid-catalyzed sol-gel hydrolysis-condensation of polysilane-based precursors 2a-c at the pendant alkoxysilane residues. UV-Vis and multinuclear NMR spectroscopies establish the mention of the polysilane chromophore and attached organic residues; NMR also reflects the degree of condenstion at the siloxane silicon nuclei. The bulk morphology of the resulting dried gels can be influenced by the choice of solvent removal from the wet gel Aqueous extraction of solvent results in ponporous xerogels. while solvent removal by supercritical CO2 yields mesoporous aerogels with retention of the wet gel surface area. In hybrid materials 3a-c the polysilane chromophore is homogeneously dispersed in. and covalently bound to, a highly crosslinked siloxane matrix. The demonstrated ability to homogeneously entrain polysilanes within glass matrices holds great potential for fabricating sohisticated electronic, NLO and photoconducting devices.