Thermochemical behaviour of Ru(II) complex-SiO2 microcomposites

The results from DSC and thermogravimetric analysis of gels produced from a mixture of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and octyltriethoxysilane (OtEOS) both with and without immobilized Ru(II) tris(4,7diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) dichloride as well as DSC and TG data for films deposited by deep- or spincoating from the same gels, are reported. The initial products are characterized by elemental analysis, IR, solid state NMR and mass spectroscopy. Elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy are applied for identification of some of the intermediates obtained after heating at different temperatures. The final products are characterized by X-ray difrractometry. A hypothesis for the thermodecomposition processes taking place is proposed. The results reported contribute to elucidation of the properties as well as the temperature intervals in which the studied microcomposites could be used as sensing components of oxygen sensors.