Gel-melting method for preparation of organically modified siloxane low-melting glasses

Abstract

Softening or melting behavior of the organically-modified siloxane hybrid gels and glasses in the system of RSiO3/2 and R2SiO2/2 (R: methyl and phenyl) has been investigated to obtain a new family of low-melting glasses. The RSiO3/2 and RSiO3/2–R2SiO2/2 gels showed softening temperatures around 50–100 °C. The softening temperature of RSiO3/2 single-component glasses, which were obtained by melting the corresponding gels at a temperature above the softening temperature, increased by heat-treatment at 200 °C, and finally showed no softening behavior. On the other hand, in the PhSiO3/2–Ph2SiO2/2 binary glasses, the softening temperatures showed a tendency to saturate after longer heat treatment over 200 h. These facts indicate that the present organically modified siloxane system will be a potential candidate for the low-melting glass.