HYBRID INORGANIC-ORGANIC MATERIALS BY SOL-GEL PROCESSING OF ORGANOFUNCTIONAL METAL ALKOXIDES

Metal alkoxides of the type (R'O)(n)E-X-A, where A represents a functional organic group, and X is a hydrolytically stable spacer linking A and the metal alkoxide moiety E(OR')(n), are interesting precursors for the preparation of novel materials composed of both inorganic and organic entities. The basic chemistry behind the preparation and the sol-gel processing of these compounds is reviewed. The manifold options for chemical modification of both the inorganic and the organic groups allow the deliberate preparation of materials with special properties, Selected materials syntheses are discussed to demonstrate the scope of possible applications.