Abstract
Newly designed siloxane oligomers (CnH2n+1Si(OSi(OMe)3)3, n=8–18) were synthesized and their hydrolyzed and polycondensed products were analyzed. Lamellar mesophase and slightly distorted 2D-hexagonal mesophase were formed depending on the alkyl chain lengths in the precursors. Transparent thin films were also successfully prepared from the precursors without the addition of tetrafunctional alkoxysilanes. Calcination of 2D-hexagonal mesophases yielded porous silica, indicating that hexagonal porous silica can be created without the use of surfactants as template. The formation and structural control of mesostructured silica-based hybrids derived from such organoalkoxysilanes by the self-assembly are quite important scientifically and technologically, which provides a new pathway to create novel silica-based hybrids with unique structures and compositions.
