Reinforcement of silica aerogels using silane-end-capped polyurethanes.

Proper selection of silane precursors and polymer reinforcements yields more durable and stronger silica aerogels. This paper focuses on the use of silane-end-capped urethane prepolymer and chain-extended polyurethane for reinforcement of silica aerogels. The silane end groups were expected to participate in silica network formation and uniquely determine the amounts of urethanes incorporated into the aerogel network as reinforcement. The aerogels were prepared by one-step sol-gel process from mixed silane precursors tetraethoxysilane, aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and APTES-end-capped polyurethanes. The morphology and mechanical and surface properties of the resultant aerogels were investigated in addition to elucidation of chemical structures by solid-state (13)C and (29)Si nuclear magnetic resonance. Modification by 10 wt % APTES-end-capped chain-extended polyurethane yielded a 5-fold increase in compressive modulus and 60% increase in density. APTES-end-capped chain-extended polyurethane was found to be more effective in enhancement of mechanical properties and reduction of polarity.

Surface modification and reinforcement of silica aerogels using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes.

This study evaluated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) molecules as useful, multifunctional reinforcing agents of silica aerogels. Silica aerogels have low-density and high surface area, although their durability is often compromised by the inherent fragility and strong moisture absorption behavior of the silica networks. POSS molecules carrying phenyl, iso-butyl, and cyclohexyl organic side groups, and several Si-OH functionalities were incorporated into silica networks via reactions between Si-OH functionalities in POSS molecules and silanes. Solid state (13)C and (29)Si NMR spectra established that greater than 90% of POSS molecules grafted onto silica networks and led to an increase in fractal dimensions. An almost 6-fold increase in compressive modulus was achieved with less than 5 wt % trisilanol phenyl POSS, and a 50-fold decrease in polarity with negligible changes in density were seen in aerogels modified with less than 5 wt % trisilanol isobutyl POSS.

New antifouling silica hydrogel.

In this work, a new antifouling silica hydrogel was developed for potential biomedical applications. A zwitterionic polymer, poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (pCBMA), was produced via atom-transfer radical polymerization and was appended to the hydrogel network in a two-step acid-base-catalyzed sol-gel process. The pCBMA silica aerogels were obtained by drying the hydrogels under supercritical conditions using CO(2). To understand the effect of pCBMA on the gel structure, pCBMA silica aerogels with different pCBMA contents were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and the surface area from Brauner-Emmet-Teller (BET) measurements. The antifouling property of pCBMA silica hydrogel to resist protein (fibrinogen) adsorption was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SEM images revealed that the particle size and porosity of the silica network decreased at low pCBMA content and increased at above 33 wt % of the polymer. The presence of pCBMA increased the surface area of the material by 91% at a polymer content of 25 wt %. NMR results confirmed that pCBMA was incorporated completely into the silica structure at a polymer content below 20 wt %. A protein adsorption test revealed a reduction in fibrinogen adsorption by 83% at 25 wt % pCBMA content in the hydrogel compared to the fibrinogen adsorption in the unmodified silica hydrogel.

Synthesis and characterization of lithium hemiporphyrazines.

The hemiporphyrazines comprise a broad class of phthalocyanine analogues where one or two of the diiminoisoindolene units are replaced with alternative rings, including pyridines, benzenes, and azoles. As a means to explore the fundamental metal chemistry of these macrocycles, we have prepared the first lithium complexes of three hemiporphyrazine variants: the common bis-pyridine ring, the bis-benzene macrocycle (also known as dicarbahemiporphyrazine), and the monobenzene variant (also known as benziphthalocyanine). The metal cation can be inserted via reaction of the free bases by using lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, and the resulting products all form 1:1 complexes with protonation at the meso nitrogens providing charge balance. For the two carbahemiporphyrazines studied, the internal C-H bond remains intact upon metalation. Similar structures have been observed in the transition metal complexes of the carbaporphyrins. In addition, all three complexes are characterized by (7)Li solid state NMR and by cyclic voltammetry.

Sequestering perrhenate with a borate-based coordination polymer: a model for pertechnetate separation.

Crystals of the layered metal organic framework solid Pb[B(Im)4](NO3)(nH2O) can undergo exchange of the nitrate for perrhenate, a model for pertechnetate, forming Pb[B(Im)4](ReO4). We can monitor this reaction by 207Pb solid-state NMR and can isolate single crystals of the resultant material through growth in the presence of an excess of perrhenate. Such a synthetic metal-organic framework solid represents a new candidate for pertechnetate-sequestering materials.

Observation of a deuteron nuclear magnetic resonance Knight shift in conductive polyaniline.

Solid state deuteron magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of conductive ring-deuterated polyaniline consist of two peaks, one at the same chemical shift as the insulating form of the polymer and the second shifted by 5.8+/-1 ppm. The magnitude of the shift is field and temperature independent and is identified as a Knight shift. The deuterons undergoing a Knight shift originate from both the crystalline and amorphous regions of the sample, implying that conduction is mediated by delocalized polarons in both these regions. Spin count experiments demonstrate that in highly conductive samples, signal is lost not only by dephasing due to the proximity of localized unpaired electrons but also to high rf reflectance.

Lead tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate solids: anion exchange, solvent intercalation, and self assembly of an organic anion.

The coordination polymer Pb[B(Im)(4)](NO(3))(xH(2)O), constructed by using sodium tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate and lead(II) nitrate solutions, is a layered material with the metal centers facing the interlayer spacing. As in naturally occurring layered minerals, this compound can readily undergo anion exchange and reversible intercalation of solvent water in the solid state with retention of crystallinity. We observed changes in solvent intercalation by (207)Pb solid state NMR (SSNMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Stoichiometric exchange of (15)N nitrate for nitrate and iodide for nitrate is monitored by (15)N and (207)Pb SSNMR, and single crystals of the iodide-exchanged material Pb[B(Im)(4)]I were isolated. While the iodide compound can be obtained through facile exchange from the nitrate parent compound, the organic anion benzoate is placed in the interlayer spacing for nitrate under self-assembly conditions and forms an alternating monolayer in Pb[B(Im)(4)](C(6)H(5)COO)(0.5H(2)O). The ion exchange versus self-assembly behavior correlates with the structural differences in the three compounds. In both Pb[B(Im)(4)]I and Pb[B(Im)(4)](C(6)H(5)COO)(0.5H(2)O), the lead sites act as Lewis acids for the iodide and benzoate, respectively.

Construction of a functional layered solid using the tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate coordinating anion.

The coordination polymer Pb[B(Im)(4)](NO(3)), constructed by using tetrakis(imidazolyl)borate and lead(II) nitrate solutions, is a layered material with the metal centers facing the interlayer spacing. As in naturally occurring layered minerals, this compound can readily undergo anion exchange in the solid state with retention of crystallinity. We examined stoichiometric exchange of (15)N-nitrate for nitrate and iodide for nitrate by (15)N and (207)Pb SSNMR and confirmed retention of crystallinity by IR and powder XRD diffraction.