Effects of chemical structure and chain end groups on the thermal stability of new silsesquioxanes with methacrylate and/or vinyl units

► Silsesquioxane-based materials with improved thermal stability. ► Ladder-like structures - key factor influencing the thermal stability. ► Highly crosslinked networks with a large amount of pendant closer double bonds. ► Carbonaceous Si-O-C layer - insulator and barrier to mass transport on heating.