Publications Details
Sol-gel kinetics by NMR
The chemical synthesis of advanced ceramic and glass materials by the sol-gel process has become an area of increasing activity in the field of material science. The sol-gel process provides a means to prepare homogeneous, high purity materials with tailored chemical and physical properties. This paper surveyed the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of silicon-based sol-gel kinetics. A review of the various models which have been used to analyze the chemical kinetics of various sol-gel systems was presented. The utility of NMR spectroscopy was demonstrated in investigating the influence that various reaction conditions have on the reaction pathways by which sol-gel derived materials are synthesized. By observing in a direct fashion the chemical pathway of the sol-gel, it is often possible to relate the final properties of the material to the formulation and reaction conditions of the sol-gel. The study of reaction kinetics by NMR is expected to play an increasingly important role in understanding sol-gel processing and material properties. 15 refs. (DP)