Processing of transparent inorganic/organic hybrids using metal alkoxides and polydimethylsiloxane

Transparent inorganic/organic hybrids containing various inorganic components have been synthesized from modified metal alkoxides and silanol-terminated polydimetylsiloxane (PDMS). The chemical modification of metal alkoxides with chelating ligands was carried out in order to prevent the precipitation during hydrolysis and condensation. The chemical modification and hydrolysis reaction were investigated by IR and NMR spectroscopic methods. The formation of transparent hybrids was found to be influenced by the inorganic source and M(OR)(n)/PDMS ratio. The transparent hybrids were flexible, indicating the storage modulus from 10(6) to 10(8) Pa at room temperatures. It increased with the increase in valence number of the inorganic components. The hybrids were transparent in the visible wavelength region, especially long-wavelength region. The refractive index of the hybrids linearly increased with increasing the inorganic content. The refractive index was also dependent on the inorganic component derived from metal alkoxides. It increased with valence of metallic elements in the inorganic components, in the order Al < Zr less than or equal to Ti < Ta less than or equal to Nb.