Most people have heard and used the word “silicone” and are familiar with at least a few silicone products. In fact, silicone is more widely recognized than more abundant polymers like polypropylene or polyurethane. If you buy cosmetics, you’ll see that “silicone-free” alternatives are few. In the lab, you use silicone oil baths, silicone vacuum grease and perhaps you have even used something referred to as “PDMS” (and it might have been Dow Corning Sylgard 184). Outside the lab, you use silicone caulks, silicone bakeware, dimethicone-containing personal care products, silicone-containing contact lenses and silicone antifoaming agents that can keep cooking oils from foaming or can calm an upset stomach. In stark contrast to this awareness, it is less likely that you have been exposed to silicones in the classroom. These ubiquitous polymers that fill so many roles are, for historical reasons, ignored in our chemistry and materials science curricula. Most of these materials are silicones that are composed of primarily dimethylsiloxane (D) groups. Ongoing research programs will be discussed and the preparation of MT (trimethylsilylmethylsiliconate) and MQ (trimethylsilylsilicate) copolymers will be a focus of the presentation. An MT copolymer is described in the figure. In particular, vinyl- and hydrido- functionalized samples and their curing to form transparent monolithic structures with controllable properties will be described. We have specific interests in the surface properties and the permeation of water vapor through these materials and ongoing research in this direction will be presented as well.

Isomeric silicones: Trialkylsilylsilsesquioxane (MT) and trialkylsilylsilicate (MQ) copolymers

256th National Meeting (2018)

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