Synthesis and applications of functionalized silsesquioxane polymers attached to organic and inorganic matrices

Organofunctionalized silsesquioxane polymers obtained in a water-soluble form can be used to coat various substrates such as SiO2, SiO2/Al2O3, Al2O3, cellulose/Al2O3, and graphite or, when obtained in a water-insoluble form, can be used directly. These organofunctionalized silsesquioxanes can also be attached to poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) polymers. The functional groups constituted by neutral amine groups or cationic groups (pyridinium, 3- and 4-picolinium, or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), mono- or -dicationic) have relatively high affinity for metal ion in ethanol solutions, as shown by their stability constants. Materials containing attached cationic functional groups have also been efficiently used to immobilize various electroactive species and to construct electrochemical sensors for analytical applications. This work discusses the preparation of silsesquioxane derivatives, their characterization as prepared and when dispersed on several substrates, and comments on some applications of these materials, with an emphasis on the metal adsorption process and manufacture of electrochemical sensors.