Fluoroalkyl Polyhedral Oligomeric SilSesquioxane (F-POSS) has emerged as a promising nanomaterial possessing low surface energy properties for applications in wetting-resistance materials. Recently, a novel synthetic method was developed for the controlled functionalization of F-POSS, enabling these compounds to be further functionalized with a variety organic moieties ranging from long aliphatic chains to various monomers. The chemical structures of these compounds were confirmed using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR and combustion analysis. The crystal structure for an endo,endo disilanol F-POSS compound was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Among these functionalized compounds different macromers using methacrylate, acrylate, styrene, or norbornene functionality were produced. These macromers was used to produce copolymers via free radical polymerization or ring-opening metathesis (ROMP) polymerization. These well-defined copolymers containing a covalently bound F-POSS macromers. These tunable structures provide unprecedented access to fluorinated building blocks for low surface energy materials.Figure 1. a) General methodology of F-POSS cage functionalization. b) Static contact angle measurement of water droplet on SiO2 surface coated with methacrylate functionalized F-POSS. c) Water and hexadecane droplets on a cotton fabric coated with poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(methyl methacrylate functionalized F-POSS).

Fluoroalkyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (F-POSS) modified structures: Synthesis to applications

247th National Meeting (2014)

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