Progress in polymer-derived functional silicon-based ceramic composites for biomedical and engineering applications

Advanced functional Materials play an ever increasing and effective role in our modern community. These materials have tremendous impact on a variety of technologies, including memory and light-emitting devices, magnetic data storage, nanolithography, photo-electronic devices, MEMS devices, energy storage, electromagnetic interference shielding, actuators, sensors, and biomedicine. The growing interest in polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) in the last two decades has been mainly associated with their use as initial precursors for the synthesis of multifunctional materials. Polymer-derived ceramics, also known as preceramic organosilicon polymers, provide an effective, safe and rapid process for producing technical ceramics; the main advantages being processing (easy shaping/forming using polymeric processing techniques e.g. melt spinning, extrusion, injection molding, coating, and low firing temperatures) and desirable material properties. Polymer-derived ceramics have emerged as a promising class of ceramic materials, which are generally synthesized through controlled thermal degradation of polymeric precursors in inert atmosphere. This quick, straightforward polymer-to-ceramic conversion can be used to produce homogeneous and high-purity composite materials with a novel composition and exceptional properties. The incorporation of fillers, either active or passive, into the preceramic polymers can induce various functionalities and generate a wide range of compositions and ceramic morphologies, possessing outstanding properties. The concept of fillers provides an invaluable tool for obtaining not only crack-free monolithic pieces, but also modifies the chemistry and architecture of PDCs. Thus far, the majority of research has been directed toward designing and engineering organosilicon materials for structural applications, rather than biological, electronic and magnetic applications. The motivation of the present review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of all processing strategies for the modification of preceramic polymers and resultant functional properties of polymer-derived ceramic composites. This review discusses the available literature focusing mainly on: (i) biological tests; (ii) filler-free and filler-containing polymers for electronic applications; (iii) magnetic properties of metallopolymers and filler-containing PDCs; and (iv) optical properties. Polymer-derived functional composite materials are seen as providing a potential platform for creating new arenas where these materials might make an impact.