abstract
This paper reports the preparation of class-II organic-inorganic hybrid materials by the heterogeneous chemical modification of cellulose fibers with (3-isocyanatopropyl)triethoxysilane, followed by the acid hydrolysis (and condensation) of the appended siloxane moieties as such, and in the presence of either tetraethoxysilane or 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. These modifications produced an inorganic "coating" around the fibers, while preserving their ultrastructure, as confirmed by XRD and SEM. The detailed characterization of these new hybrid materials by FTIR and Si-29 NMR showed that, upon hydrolysis of the ethoxy groups, condensation reactions took place leading mainly to Si-O-Si linear sequences, followed by a smaller contribution of more branched moieties, and that a significant amount of OH groups were also formed, which gave rise to hydrophilic surfaces. The hybrids obtained by hydrolysis in the presence of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane displayed a very pronounced hydrophobic and lipophobic character (reaching contact angles with water and diiodomethane as high as 140 degrees and 134 degrees, respectively), due to the presence of the perfluorinated moieties. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
SOL-GEL PROCESS; FATTY-ACIDS; NANOCOMPOSITES; COMPOSITES; SUBSTITUTION
subject category
Chemistry; Polymer Science
authors
Cunha, AG; Freire, CSR; Silvestre, AJD; Neto, CP; Gandini, A
our authors
Alessandro Gandini
Researcher
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Carlos Pascoal Neto
Raiz Director
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcheracknowledgements
A.G. Cunha thanks the FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia) for a Ph.D. grant (SFRH/BD/31134/2006). The authors also thank FCT for the funding within the scope of the