Effect of diphenyldiethoxysilane on the self-organized formation of nanocrystalline layered organosilicates in organic-inorganic hybrid films"

Hybrid organic–inorganic films containing layered
organosilicate nanocrystals have been obtained through
self-organization from aqueous precursor sols containing
3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. Diethoxydiphenylsilane
has been added, in different amounts, to the precursor
sol containing 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane to prepare
hybrid films with the ordered nanostructures. The effect
of aging time of the precursor sol has been studied preparing
different samples from sols aged up to 8 days; the formation
of crystalline layered films has been observed in the samples
obtained from sols of higher aging time. The hybrid films
have been characterized by gracing incidence X-ray diffraction,
Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
transmission electron microscopy and UV–Vis
spectroscopy. The change of the surface contact angle as a
function of sol aging time and composition has been also
measured. The capability of the films to be used in devices
through lithographic techniques has been tested by writing
the films with direct exposition to deep X-ray lithography
and soft lithography with micromolds; patterns of different
geometries with a thickness up to 100 microns have been
obtained.