Microstructural and mechanical properties of sono-ormosils

Monolithic pieces and films of ormosils were obtained from ultrasound-assisted polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). These sono-ormosils were studied by means of high resolution Brillouin spectroscopy and their textures analyzed from adsorption isotherms. Evidence is given for the occurrence of organic and inorganic micro-phase separation in samples with high polymer concentrations. Nitrogen isotherms show that the texture of the samples is highly dependent on the composition.