STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT DURING SOL-GEL PROCESS IN ORGANIC-SILICA NETWORKS

Two types of the organic-silica hybrid networks were prepared and thei r formation and structure were studied in dependence on reaction condi tions. The silica phase was formed by the sol-gel process from tetraet hoxysilane (TEOS) or alkoxysilane endcapped prepolymers. The organic p hase was composed of linear poly(oxypropylene) chain or the epoxide ne twork arising by curing the diglycidyl ether of Bisphenol A (DGEBA) wi th poly(oxypropylene)diamine. Fast development of the structure during polymerization was followed by the in-situ small-angle X-ray scatteri ng measurement. One-and two-stage polymerization procedures result in formation of heterogeneous but optically transparent nanocomposites wi th different structures.