Materials for the New Millennium- Synthetic Inorganic, Semi-inorganic, and Organic-inorganic Hybrid Polymers

The properties of mineralogical and covalent inorganic polymers are brieffy described in the introductory part. Glass is an important polymer made up of rings and chains of silicate units which contain negatively charged oxygen atoms neutralized by positive metal ions. Glass and few other mineralogical types of inorganic polymers, like aluminum oxyde, could be fabricated into fibers and used as insulating materials, and as reinforcing fibers in composite materials. Most rocks, bricks, concrete and ceramics belong to mineralogical polymers which are of great importance as construction materials, but their application is often limited because they are not flexible, elastomeric and resistant to impact. The most important covalent polymers are poly(organosiloxanes) and poly(organophosphazenes). Poly (organosiloxanes) contain chains of silicone-oxygen atoms with two methyl groups attached to silicon atoms. Silicone polymers have low glass transition temperature of -130 °C. Temperature of elasticity of silicone rubber is from -30 °C to 250 °C. They strongly repel water and are used as corrosion inhibitors of metals. An important field of application of silicones is in medicine and in preparation of medical devices. In continuation, there are briefly described the properties and application of poly(phosphazenes) and poly(sulfur nitride). After that, several examples of organic-inorganic hybrid polymers are listed, illustrating the variety of existing and possible new commercial applications of these new materials. The following applications of hybrid polymers are described: silane block copolymers for contact lenses, acrylate tin copolymers for marine antifoulant coatings, scratch resistant automotive coatinas and preparation of microporous silica.