STRUCTURE PROPERTY BEHAVIOR OF SOL-GEL DERIVED HYBRID MATERIALS - EFFECT OF A POLYMERIC ACID CATALYST

Poly(styrene sulphonic acid) is used to prepare ceramers based upon poly(tetramethylene oxide) oligomers and tetraethyl orthosilicate. These hybrid network materials prepared by sol-gel processing demonstrate the successful use of a polymeric acid catalyst to prepare these previously described optically clear hybrid materials. The mechanical properties of the polymeric acid-catalysed ceramers are imporved over systems of the same composition catalysed with HCl. The loss dispersion behaviour of these materials as well as general morphological features, evaluated by small-angle X-ray scattering, are quite similar to those of the ceramers catalysed with HCl. Some comparisons of their thermogravimetric behaviour are also made.