FT-IR and Porosity Study of Si-B-C-O Materials Obtained from TEOS-TEB-PDMS Derived Gel Precursors

Mixed vitreous oxycarbide glasses containing silicon and boron were prepared by pyrolysis of hybrid precursors in N₂ at 1100°C. Four different precursors were synthesized through the sol-gel process using TEOS, TEB and PDMS. Poly-condensation between the Si(OH) groups, from the hydrolysed TEOS, and the PDMS was observed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Boron seems not to incorporate into the network until pyrolysis of the precursors that form the oxycarbides. The oxycarbides were porous made of spherical interconnected particles. The porosity and mean pore size of the glasses increased with increasing TEB content.