Synthesis and structure of layered silica-organic nanocomposites from alkoxytrichrolosilanes

Abstract

Alkoxytrichlorosilanes (CnH2n+1OSiCl3; CnOTCS, n = 12－20) were synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding n-alcohols with tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4). Partial hydrolysis of CnOTCS followed by the polycondensation led to the formation of novel layered silica -organic nanocomposites. It was found that the products were composed of organic layers and silica layers stacked alternately on a nanometer length scale, and the basal spacings of the products increased linearly along with the increase in the alkyl chain length.