AMINOSILS - NEW SOLID-STATE PROTONIC MATERIALS BY THE SOL-GEL PROCESS

A new family of ORganically MOdified SILicates (ORMOSILs) has been developed using the sol-gel process. Monolithic transparent films are obtained from a solution containing an aminated organotrisiloxane, an acid (HX) and water. The alkylamine chain R, acts as a network modifier and, as a base, interacts with the acid, to yield final material represented by the formula SiO//3///2 R-(HX)//x, O less than equivalent to x less than equivalent to 0. 5. We propose to call these materials AMINOSILs. The dried products are hard and non-porous, with densities ranging around 1. 3. They exhibit a glass transition around minus 30 degree C and are thermally stable in air up to 180 degree C. Conductivity studies show a non-Arrhenius behavior characteristic of a liquid-like state, and a high conductivity ( equals 10** minus **5 OMEGA ** minus **1 cm** minus **1) at room temperature.