Polycarbosilanes as Precursors to Ceramics As Functional Polymeric Materials

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

The Advanced Materials Program in the Division of Chemistry makes this awards to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. With this award, Professors Leonard Interrante and Thomas Apple will synthesize and study linear and hyper-branched polycarbosilanes with alternating silicon and carbon atoms in their backbone. Basic reaction chemistry and characterization of carbosilanes based functional polymers including worm-like dendrimers, copolymers, block copolymers and ionic conducting polymers will be carried out with this award. Determination of structure function relationship by solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, preparation of thin films and determination of ionic conductivity will be parts of this award. Pyrolysis of polycarbosilanes and polycarbosilane-boronitrides will be evaluated to prepare novel ceramics with controlled microstructures. Graduate and undergraduate students, who will be working on this project, will get training in synthesis of polymer precursors, synthesis of polymers based on carbosilanes, functionalization and characterization of these polymers. Worm-like dendrimers, copolymers, block copolymers and ionic conducting polymers will be prepared from linear and hyperbranched polycarbosilanes with alternating silicon and carbon atoms in their backbone. Basic reaction chemistry and characterization of carbosilanes based functional polymers including determination of structure function relationships; and preparation of thin films and determination of ionic conductivity will be parts of this award. Pyrolysis of polycarbosilanes and polycarbosilane-boronitrides will be evaluated to prepare novel ceramics with controlled microstructures. Graduate and undergraduate students, who will be working on this project, will get training in polymer sciences and different methods used to characterize polymers based on carbosilanes.