Fluorescence Probing of Composite Organic/Inorganic Transparent Matrices

Transparent composite SiO2/organic matrices have been made by the sol-gel method using tetramethoxysilane and either cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide (CTAB) or a polyethylene glycol oligomer (PEG-200) or a cationic polyelectrolyte. We have investigated conditions under which transparent xerogel matrices are possible and we have characterized them mainly by time-resolved fluorescence probing using stretched exponentials. CTAB creates a hydrophobic and PEG-200 a hydrophilic subphase in the matrix. An important property of these composite matrices is that they allow molecular diffusion contrary to matrices made in the absence of surfactants or polymers.