Hydrolysis and condensation reactions of Si(OC2H5)4 related to silica fiber drawing

The hydrolysis and condensation reactions of Si(OC₂H₅)₄ (TEOS) at 80°C in the TEOS---H₂O---C₂H₅OH---HCl solutions with H₂O/TEOS molar ratios (r) from 1.0 to 2.0 were followed by gas chromatography (GC) and measurement of molecular weight ( ) of the hydrolyzates, in order to explain the viscosity change of the solutions. It has been found that the siloxane oligomers with average polymerization degree (n) from 2 to 7 are formed in the early stage of reaction and undergo condensation to form higher polymers. The n and the number of silanol groups of the oligomers are increased with increasing r. The fact that the solution viscosity increased once rapidly around the so-called gelation point followed by a sluggish increase with the increase of reaction time for an r of 1.7, while it increased rapidly without a break till gelation for an r of 2.0, was attributed to fewer silanol groups and higher steric hindrance as a result of more −OC₂H₅ groups remaining in the oligomers for an r of 1.7.