Synthesis and dynamic mechanical behaviour of inorganic–organic hybrids containing various inorganic components

Abstract

Inorganic–organic hybrids containing various inorganic components have been successfully synthesized from silanol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and three different inorganic sources, Al(OBu ^s ) ₃ , Ti(OEt) ₄ and Ta(OEt) ₅ , by using a sol–gel process. Inorganic components as well as the process conditions were found to affect the structure and properties of metal-O-PDMS hybrids from dynamic mechanical measurements and FTIR studies. The storage modulus increased and the peak height of the tan δ curve decreased in the order of Al-O-PDMS, Ti-O-PDMS and Ta-O-PDMS hybrids, which may result from the difference in valence and atomic mass of the metallic element constituting the inorganic component.