Synthesis and characterization of cyclotriphosphazenes containing silicon as single solid-state precursors for the formation of silicon/phosphorus nanostructured materials

The synthesis and characterization of new organosilicon derivatives of N(3)P(3)Cl(6), N(3)P(3)[NH(CH(2))(3)Si(OEt)(3)](6) (1), N(3)P(3)[NH(CH(2))(3)Si(OEt)(3)](3)[NCH(3)(CH(2))(3)CN](3) (2), and N(3)P(3)[NH(CH(2))(3)Si(OEt)(3)](3)[HOC(6)H(4)(CH(2))CN](3) (3) are reported. Pyrolysis of 1, 2, and 3 in air and at several temperatures results in nanostructured materials whose composition and morphology depend on the temperature of pyrolysis and the substituents of the phosphazenes ring. The products stem from the reaction of SiO(2) with P(2)O(5), leading to either crystalline Si(5)(PO(4))(6)O, SiP(2)O(7) or an amorphous phase as the glass Si(5)(PO(4))(6)O/3SiO(2).2P(2)O(5), depending on the temperature and nature of the trimer precursors. From 1 at 800 degrees C, core-shell microspheres of SiO(2) coated with Si(5)(PO(4))(6)O are obtained, while in other cases, mesoporous or dense structures are observed. Atomic force microscopy examination after deposition of the materials on monocrystalline silicon wafers evidences morphology strongly dependent on the precursors. Isolated islands of size approximately 9 nm are observed from 1, whereas dense nanostructures with a mean height of 13 nm are formed from 3. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements show mesoporous materials with low surface areas. The proposed growth mechanism involves the formation of cross-linking structures and of vacancies by carbonization of the organic matter, where the silicon compounds nucleate. Thus, for the first time, unique silicon nanostructured materials are obtained from cyclic phosphazenes containing silicon.