Organic Sol-Gel Synthesis: Solution-Processable Microporous Organic Networks

Abstract

Concentration is critical: Amine/isocyanate polycondensation below the critical gelation concentration cg affords a sol of growing microporous molecular-network nanoparticles rather than a gelated network (see picture, for model of particle: NCO red, NH2 blue, tetrahedral cross-link point gray). Further growth to form monolithic networks occurs on solvent evaporation, analogous to sol-gel synthesis of inorganic oxide networks. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.