Part 2: Inorganic-organic hybrid polymers by polymerization of methacrylate-substituted oxotitanium. clusters with methyl methacrylate: Thermomechanical and morphological properties

New organometallic-organic hybrid materials are reported and their properties evaluated. The hybrid was formed by polymerizing methyl methacrylate with 0.3 mol% of a methacrylate-substituted oxotitanium cluster [Ti6O4(OEt)(8)(OMC)(8)]. In this hybrid, the cluster core was functionalized by the organic ligands, and the functionalized cluster was then used as a cross-linker for methyl methacrylate. The resulting hybrid was characterized using spectroscopic, microscopic, and thermal techniques. Photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that a surfaced-modified oxotitanium cluster is formed and sits within the organic network. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that the thermal stability of the hybrid is higher than that of the undoped polymethyl methacrylate, even when the hybrid contains such a low level of the cluster. The maximum decomposition temperature has increased by 73 K in the hybrid. Dynamic mechanical analysis also shows that the glass transition temperature of the hybrid shifts to a higher temperature.