Download or read book Synthesis and Characterization of Sol-Gel Nanocomposites Demonstrating Enhanced Mechancial Properties written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The mild reaction conditions of the sol-gel process allow incorporation of an inorganic component into organic materials, making it very favorable for the synthesis of organicinorganic nanocomposite materials. However, researchers still strive to produce materials with the unique properties of inorganic compounds which also possess the mechanical properties of organic polymers. We have developed several sol-gel derived nanocomposite silicate materials using both inorganic precursors and organic-inorganic precursors, which show superior mechanical properties due to nanoscale structural reinforcement. The materials reported were developed in three separate investigations, although the synthesis techniques are relatively similar. STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF PARTICLE REINFORCED ORGANIC-INORGANIC WATER-BASED NANOCOMPOSITE MATERIALS We present for the first time, the use of Al(ClO4)3, an effective catalyst for synthesis of 3-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) - based nanocomposite materials via sol-gel chemistry. Aluminum perchlorate (Al(ClO4)3) simultaneously serves as catalyst for epoxy polymerization and methoxysilane hydrolysis at room temperature. Catalytic effects of Al(ClO4)3 were demonstrated through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of precursor sols and structural investigation of resulting films by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our method incorporates nanophase particulate reinforcement; Ludox® TMA colloidal silica, which possesses surface silanols (Si-OH), further activate the epoxy groups and expedite organic polymerization. The silica nanoparticles chemically link with the organic-inorganic network through Si-O-Si and Si-O-C bonds. Nanoparticles reinforcement serves to strengthen the network and enhance mechanical properties such as microhardness and abrasion resistance while maintaining the unique optical properties of these materials. Furthermore, the synthesis is water-based, providing for an environmentally friendly synthetic route.