Novel ceramer materials based on JEFFAMINE (R) poly(propylene oxide) oligomers and tetramethoxysilane

Novel hybrid organic-inorganic network materials have been generated based on poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). The PPO sourc e chosen for this study was the family of JEFFAMINE(R)s often employed as e poxy curing agents. These materials were end-functionalized with trialkoxys ilane groups which later were exploited in the sol-gel reaction. The sol-ge l variables of water and acid catalyst concentration had little influence o n the final structure and properties of the resulting network materials for the ranges probed. Increasing the TMOS content, however, generated a struc ture that angle X-ray scattering revealed a correlation length associated w ith a silicate phase separated by PPO chains, which increased with PPO mole cular weight, as expected.