Fast Synthesis of Nanostructured Microspheres of a Bridged Silsesquioxane via Ultrasound-Assisted Sol–Gel Processing
✍ Scribed by Hernán E. Romeo; María A. Fanovich; Roberto J. J. Williams; Libor Matějka; Josef Pleštil; Jiří Brus
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2008
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 460 KB
- Volume
- 210
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1022-1352
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Microspheres of a nanostructured bridged silsesquioxane were synthesized by employing ultrasound‐assisted self‐assembly of a bridged monomer via sol–gel processing. The bridged precursor was synthesized from glycidoxypropyl(trimethoxysilane) (GPMS) (2 mol) and cyclohexylamine (1 mol). The main factor controlling the generation of a stable dispersion of microspheres was the time at which the phase separation of the silsesquioxane was produced during the hydrolytic condensation. An appropriate blend of THF/n‐hexane as a solvent enabled to rapidly generate a stable dispersion exhibiting a low polydispersity. The mild reaction conditions produced the nanostructuring of the silsesquioxane characterized by a fine structure in SAXS spectrum. Inorganic domains were arranged in a two‐dimensional hexagonal system leading to the formation of cavities in the microspheres which could be employed as host–guest systems in advanced technologies.
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