Preparation of copolymerized phenylsilsesquioxane-benzylsilsesquioxane particles

Copolymerized phenylsilsesquioxane-benzylsilsesquioxane particles were prepared from their corresponding organotriethoxysilanes by the sol-gel method. Transparent thick films of a few microns in thickness have been successfully prepared on glass substrates coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) by heat-treating the copolymerized particles which had been electrophoretically deposited on the substrates. The on-set temperature for thermal sintering of the copolymerized particles decreased from 150 to 50°C with increasing the benzylsilsesquioxane content. These on-set temperatures for thermal sintering of the particles were found to be higher by 10 to 50°C than the glass transition temperatures of the particles of the corresponding composition. The thermal sintering of the particles should occur due to a large decrease in viscosity of the particles at temperatures higher than the glass transition temperatures. The decrease in the on-set temperature with composition for thermal sintering as well as in the glass transition temperature of the particles can be related with the decreases in average molecular weight and in distribution of the molecular weight of the particles with an increase in the benzylsilsesquioxane content.