Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Joanne M Schwark

Dietmar Seyferth

Yuan-Fu Yu

A method of forming preceramic polymers using an organosilicon polymer containing Si--H repeat units by reacting it with alkali metal amide or silylamide is disclosed. Preferably, the silylamide is a polymeric silylamide formed by reacting in solution anhydrous ammonia with a mixture of R.sup.1 SiHX.sub.2 (where R.sup.1 is a lower alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkenyl group having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms; and X is a halogen) and R.sup.2 SiX.sub.3 (where R.sup.2 is H, a lower alkenyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted lower alkenyl group having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms). The Si--H containing organosilicon polymer is preferably selected from the group consisting of organopolysilanes of the formula [(RSiH).sub.x (RSi).sub.y ].sub.n (where R is a lower alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a lower alkenyl group having from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms, and n is greater than 1), a polycarbosilane having repeat units of the formula [R.sup.a Si(H)--(CH.sub.2).sub.q ] (where R.sup.a is H, a lower alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms, q is an integer 1 or greater), and a polysiloxane having repeat units of the formula [R.sup.b Si(H)O].sub.n (where R.sup.b is a lower alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having from 3 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted lower aryl group having from 6 to about 10 carbon atoms, and n is an integer greater than 1). Novel preceramic polymers formed by this method are also disclosed.

Method for converting organosilicon polymers containing SIH repeat units

A method for preparing preceramic polymers is disclosed. This method includes the steps of

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Joanne M Schwark