Monodispersed hybrid microparticles based on polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane with good UV resistance and high thermal stability: From organic to inorganic

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is an attractive nano-building block for the preparation of organic-inorganic hybrid materials with diverse applications. However, hybrid microparticles based on POSS have rarely been reported as their preparation remains a challenge. In this work, we describe a facile approach for the fabrication of monodispersed organic-inorganic hybrid microparticles based on POSS (MBOPs) through thiol-Michael dispersion polymerization method. By adjusting the polymerization conditions and the monomer combinations, not only the size and uniformity, but also the POSS content of MBOPs can be tuned. The varied POSS content result in the enhanced UV resistance and thermal stability of hybrid MBOPs compared to purely organic microparticles. In addition, MBOPs could be regarded as precursors for formation of the inorganic SiOC ceramic microparticles with uniform size, well-defined micropore and good alkali resistance after high temperature removing the organic components. Considering the vast selection of POSS derivatives and the vast adaptability of chemical conversion that are possible, we believe that this work provides a platform for material chemists to fabrication of advanced microparticles with unique structures and performances from organic to inorganic.