Synthesis of Siloxane Containing Copolymers

Recently, as a further recognition of the importance of multiphase copolymers in specialty applications, siloxane containing block and segmented copolymers have received special attention for applications such as biomaterials, photoresists, gas separation membranes, protective coatings, elastomers and emulsifiers, as we shall 

Extremely low Glass Transition Temperatures —123 °C) Very low Surface Energies (20-21 dynes/cm) Hydrophobicity 

Good Thermal and Oxidative Stability High Permeability to Gases Excellent Atomic Oxygen (Plasma) Resistance Physiological Inertness (Biocompatibility) 

In this section of our review, recent developments in the synthesis of organosiloxane containing multiphase copolymers and networks will be discussed. Basic structural and physical characteristics of the copolymers (e.g. spectroscopic, thermal, molecular weight, etc.), supporting the formation of the multiphase structures will be given. Mechanical and morphological characteristics of representative systems will be discussed in Chapt. 4. 

The synthetic techniques leading to the formation of siloxane containing linear or graft copolymers will be classified according to the type and nature of the copolymerization reactions as shown below. 

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