Structural study of hybrid silica bilayers from “bola-amphiphile” organosilane precursors: catalytic and thermal effects

Abstract

Hybrid materials are obtained upon acid or base-catalyzed hydrolytic condensation of bola-amphiphile organosilanes such as amino-undecyl-triethoxysilane and amino-oxy-undecyl-triethoxysilane. The self-assembling process of the amphiphile organosilanes is described in the light of several experimental techniques involving small angle X-ray scattering, light scattering, Raman, solid-state NMR and thermal analysis. The structural features of the nanostructured organic/inorganic hybrids are discussed as a function of catalytic and thermal effects. Lamellar assemblies were systematically observed, albeit with different structural evolutions during the densification mechanism depending on the catalytic conditions.