Thorough characterization of a silicon oxynitride coated silica gel synthesizedviachemical surface coating

Abstract

Mesoporous silica gel coated with a preceramic polysilazane coating has been pyrolysed in order to obtain a nitride coating on the pore walls. The reactions involved were studied using a combination of thermogravimetry (TG) and IR spectroscopy (FTIR) of the solids and volatiles. The bulk and surface chemical compositions of the ceramic end products have been determined by FTIR, NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The morphology including the homogeneity of the coating was investigated using a combination of N ₂ porosimetry and transmission electron microscopy.