Ammonia Catalyzed Hydrolysis-Condensation Kinetics of Tetraethoxysilane/Dimethyldiethoxysilane Mixtures Studied by <Superscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">29</Emphasis></Superscript>Si NMR and SAXS

In-situ ²⁹Si liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to investigate the ammonia catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation of the mixed systems of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and dimethyldiethoxysilane (DDS) dissolved in methanol. With ammonia catalysis, the hydrolysis reaction orders for TEOS and DDS in the mixed systems remained first order, which is similar to that observed for their corresponding single silane component precursor systems. The hydrolysis rate constant for TEOS in the mixed systems was larger than that of TEOS in the single silane component precursor systems. Meanwhile, the hydrolysis rate constants of DDS in the mixed precursor systems were smaller than those of DDS in the single silane component precursor systems. The hydrolysis and condensation kinetics showed more compatible hydrolysis-condensation relative rates between TEOS and DDS, which remarkably affected the final microstructure of the resulting silica particles. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments showed a typical double fractal structure in the particulate networks.