Novel way to control PDMS cross-linking by gamma-irradiation

Using a 60Co gamma source polydimethylsiloxane-based materials have been prepared by gamma-irradiation of a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS, silanol-terminated and the tetraethylortosilicate, TEOS, with no other chemicals. Samples were prepared with varying TEOS concentrations. The obtained materials are monolithic, flexible and transparent. X-ray measurements have shown them to be amorphous. The thermal behaviour has also been investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results suggest that TEOS have a tailoring effect on the conformation of the polymer chains, affecting the network formation, as shown by the swelling behaviour of the material.