| abstract |
A process for forming a composition comprising organosilsesguioxanes, comprises the following steps: 1. partially hydrolysing hydrolysable inorganic monomer precursors comprising at least 50 mole% of first hydrolysable inorganic monomer precursors having the formula RSiY3, in which R is an organic group, the R-Si bond is a non-hydrolysable bond, each Y group is the same as or different to one another and is selected from chemically-reactive groups such that each Si-Y bond is hydrolysable to form a Si-OH bond, to form inorganic monomers and allowing partial condensation of the inorganic monomers to form a liquid composition comprising inorganic oligomers; 2. prior to complete condensation of the inorganic monomers, quenching the liquid composition with an amount of water which, in combination with the water used in step (1) and any water liberated by condensation of the inorganic monomers in step (1) , is in excess of the stoichiometric amount of water required to achieve complete hydrolysis of all the hydrolysable inorganic monomer precursors present; and 3. drying the composition. |