Thermal decomposition studies of the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, POSSh, and when it is impregnated with the metallocene bis(η5-cyclopentadienyl)zirconium (IV) dichloride or immobilized on silica

Thermal decomposition studies of the free polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, POSSh, and when this compound has been impregnated with Cp2ZrCl2 (Cp = η5-C5H5) or immobilized on SiO2 were conducted using infrared emission spectroscopy (IES) over a 100–1000 °C temperature range and by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The organic groups in POSSh apparently decompose thermally into Si–CH3, Si–H and other fragments. Upon impregnation with Cp2ZrCl2, however, a different thermal decomposition pathway was followed and new infrared emission bands appeared in the 1000–900 cm−1 region suggesting the formation of Si–O–Zr moieties. When immobilized on SiO2 and subjected to thermal decomposition, the POSSh compound lost its organic groups and the inorganic structure remaining was incorporated into the SiO2 framework.