Surface heterogeneity of polysiloxane xerogels functionalized by 3-aminopropyl groups

DRIFT spectra of xerogels synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (or 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane have been measured using termoevacuation in the temperature range 50–350 °C. The disappearance of bands related to the vibrations of water molecule with temperature growth and shifts of absorption band related to the deformation vibrations of amino groups to the high-frequency region have been observed. The formation of a new band in the range of 3650–3660 cm−1 has been attributed to stretching vibrations of silanol groups. The simplest change of surface layer composition in the amino-containing xerogels by water removal results in transformation of one type of hydrogen bond to another. The first type is associated with forming of cyclical structure with participation of 3-aminopropyl and silanol groups and water molecule, [≡Si(CH2)3H2N···HO(H)···HOSi≡], the other type is associated with the interaction of amino groups between each other.