Hydrolysis-Condensation Kinetics of Different Silane Coupling Agents

Abstract

The hydrolysis kinetics of 14 alkoxy silane coupling agents were carried out in an ethanol:water 80:20 (w/w) solution under acidic conditions and were monitored by ¹H, ¹³C, and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy. Acidic conditions were selected in order to enhance the silanol formation and to slow down the self-condensation between the resulting hydrolysed silanol groups. In situ ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy allowed the determination of the intermediate species as a function of the reaction time. Thus, the following silane coupling agents were studied: 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane (MPMS), 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxy silane (MRPMS), 3-cyanopropyl triethoxy silane (CPES), triethoxy vinyl silane (VES), trimethoxy (2-phenylethyl) silane (PEMS), octyl triethoxy silane (OES), trimethoxy (7-octen-1-yl) silane (OEMS), 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane (APES), 3-aminopropyl trimethoxy silane (APMS), 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl trimethoxy silane, (DAMS), 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)-ethylamino]propyl trimethoxy silane (TAMS), 4-amino-3,3-dibutyl trimethoxy silane (ADBMS), trimethoxy [3-(phenylamino)propyl] silane (PAPMS), and triethoxy-3-(2-imidazolin-1-yl) propyl silane (IZPES). A parameter quantifying the grafting potentiality of each silane coupling agent towards OH-rich solid substrates (such as cellulose) was established as a function of the nature of the alkoxy groups (methoxy or ethoxy), as well as that of the fourth substituent (vinyl, aminopropyl, etc.) of the silane studied.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Grafting activity
• hydrolysis
• kinetics
• self condensation
• 29Si NMR
• silane coupling agents

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Yves Gentil from GE Bayer Silicones (Switzerland) for the gift of the ADBMS silane coupling agent used in this work.