Low-temperature H2 sensing in self-assembled organotin thin films.

Self-assembled nanoporous tin-based hybrid thin films prepared by the sol-gel method from organically-bridged ditin hexaalkynides detect hydrogen gas from 50 to 200 °C at the 200-10,000 ppm level. This finding opens a fully new class of gas-sensing materials as well as a new opportunity to integrate organic functionality in gas sensing metal oxides.

A new spacer-induced organization in highly ordered tin-based hybrid materials.

The hydrolysis of a cross-shaped bridged alpha,varpi-bis(trialkynylstannylated) compound with long alkyl side chains leads to a highly ordered hybrid material with a new type of organization consisting of striped organic-inorganic layers alternating with alkyl chain layers.

Particle growth of hybrid materials followed by dynamic light scattering.

The hydrolysis of distannylated compounds in which the tin atoms are linked by an organic spacer has been studied under microemulsion conditions using dynamic light scattering and infrared spectroscopy. The experiments provided evidence that the growth of hybrid material particles occurs in the aqueous phase, outside the organic phase of the microemulsion. The growth rates of the particles were found to be strongly dependent on the nature of the spacers, a polymethylene chain inducing the fastest process. This different behavior was explained by a slower condensation process rather than a slower hydrolysis. The high surface areas measured for the hybrid materials could be explained by a possible coating of the hybrid particles by surfactant molecules, thus preventing either their growth or their aggregation.

A doubly folded spacer in a self-assembled hybrid material.

The hydrolysis of a bridged alpha,omega-bis(trialkynylstannylated) compound leads to a hybrid material ordered by self-assembly where the spacer forms two six-membered [1,2]oxastanninane rings by intramolecular coordination.

Self-assembled tin-based bridged hybrid materials.

Hybrid materials where layers of tin oxide alternate with layers of hydrophobic organic chains were prepared by the hydrolysis of distannylated compounds containing an organic chain alpha,omega-disubstituted by tripropynylstannyl groups. In the case of an aliphatic chain, hydrolysis under microemulsion conditions led to the organization of the corresponding hybrid. These hydrolysis conditions also induced a high surface area and a defined mesoporosity in the hybrid. When a mixed aromatic-aliphatic spacer was used, weak hydrophobic interactions between the spacers were sufficient to generate the same type of organization in the corresponding material.