Synthesis and Characterization of Nanosheet Polymer Gelling Agents

• Published in: Chemistry of materials Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 360 - 366
• Main Authors: Boucher, Michelle A, Katsoulis, Dimitris E, Kenney, Malcolm E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 24.01.2006
• ISSN: 0897-4756; 1520-5002
• DOI: 10.1021/cm051831c

The synthesis and characterization of nine organosilicon sheet polymers from the sheet silicate apophyllite (KCa4Si8O20(F,OH)·8H2O) and a series of chlorosilanes are described. Five of the polymers have a single pendent group of the type OSi(CH3)2(n-C n H2 n +1), where n = 1, 4, 8, 10, or 18, and are members of the homologous series [((n-C n H2 n +1)(CH3)2SiO) x (OH)1 - x SiO1.5] n . The other four have pendent groups of the type OSi(CH3)2R, where R = CH3, n-C4H9, n-C3H7CN, or n-C4H8Cl, interspersed among pendent groups of type OSi(CH3)2(n-C18H37). These latter polymers belong to the series [((n-C18H37)(CH3)2SiO) x ((R)(CH3)2SiO) y (OH)1 - x - y SiO1.5] n . The five homologous polymers have interplanar spacings that vary predictably with the size of their pendent groups. All but two of the nine polymers form good gels with both n-decane and 10 cSt trimethylsiloxy-capped poly(dimethylsiloxane).