Sol-gel processes, both acid- or base-catalyzed, are the traditional and efficient way to prepare siloxane-based elastomers and coating of a variety of types. However, controlling the kinetics of the process and managing shelf life, which is affected by humidity, is challenging. The condensation of hydro- with alkoxysilanes catalyzed by B(C6F5)3 provides an alternative route to highly reticulated siloxane films that is less susceptible to humidity. Combinations of tetraalkoxysilane and tetrahydrosiloxanes could be formulated in various alcohols to give solutions that are stable over months. After coating substrates, however, the catalyst is activated and leads to rapid formation of films or, at will, foamed structures. By contrast, when formulated in water, emulsions form with droplets that are stable over weeks. The conversion to films by coating substrates and drying leads to fused particle films of high porosity. The ability to control film structure in the two cases will be discussed.

Active alcoholic solutions and silane-in-water emulsions for the formation of siloxane based films from hydrosilane/alkoxysilane condensation

245th National Meeting (2013)

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