Hybrid materials obtained in microemulsion from methyl methacrylate, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane

Ternary diagrams for the methyl methacrylate (MMA) (methanol (MeOH)/water and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)/MeOH/water systems were studied. The composition domains, where microemulsions form owing to the nanostructures developed by the MeOH–water system, were determined. Refractometric and conductometric studies showed that water-in-oil (w/o), bicontinuous or oil-in-water )(o/w) microemulsions may form. Hybrid materials were obtained by the sol–gel reaction of TEOS combined with the free-radical copolymerization of MMA and methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS). MPS was added in order to avoid phase separation. The change of the glass transition temperature and of the thermal stability of the organic network in the presence of the inorganic one, and the similar forming mechanisms and rates proved the formation of simultaneous interpenetrating polymer-inorganic networks.