Epoxy Sol-Gel Hybrid Thermosets

Sol-gel methodologies are advantageous in the preparation of hybrid materials in front of the conventional addition of nanoparticles, because of the fine dispersion of the inorganic phase that can be reached in epoxy matrices. In addition, the use of organoalkoxysilanes as coupling agents allows covalent linkage between organic and inorganic phases, which is the key point in the improvement of mechanical properties. The sol-gel process involves hydrolysis and condensation reactions under mild conditions, starting from hydrolysable metal alkoxides, generally alkoxy silanes. Using the sol-gel procedure, the viscosity of the formulation is maintained, which is an important issue in coating applications, whereas the transparency of the polymer matrix is also maintained. However, only the proper combination of the chemistries and functionalities of both organic and inorganic structures leads to thermosets with the desired characteristics. The adequate preparation of hybrid epoxy thermosets enables their improvement in characteristics such as mechanical properties (modulus, hardness, scratch resistance), thermal and flame resistance, corrosion and antimicrobial protection, and even optical performance among others.