Abstract: A process for making inorganic gels by reaction of tetraalkoxy orthosilicates, tetraalkoxy titanates and tetraalkoxy zirconates with strong carboxylic acids. Water need not be present initially as a reactant. Optically clear, very small pore size, narrow pore size distribution, and high specific area inorganic gels useful for abrasion-resistant coatings, optical applications, catalyst or enzyme support, gas separation, or chromatography packing are thus produced.

Abstract: Single component inorganic/organic network materials incorporating the physical properties of glasses with the flexibility of organic materials of empirical formula X(SiO.sub.1.5).sub.n wherein X is one or more flexible organic linkages and n is greater than or equal to 2, as well as precursors thereof, are disclosed.

Abstract: Fluoroinfused composites exhibiting low surface energy and low kinetic coefficent of energy are prepared via contact of a swellable polymeric material with a solution comprising a swelling solvent, an organofluorosilane and a gelling agent.

Abstract: A process for making inorganic gels by reaction of tetraalkoxy orthosilicates, tetraalkoxy titanates and tetraalkoxy zirconates with strong carboxylic acids. Water need not be present initially as a reactant. Optically clear, very small pore size, narrow pore size distribution, and high specific area inorganic gels useful for abrasion-resistant coatings, optical applications, catalyst or enzyme support, gas separation, or chromatography packing are thus produced.

Abstract: Polymeric inorganic-organic compositions are obtained by intimately mixing a hydrolyzable precursor of an inorganic gel of silicon, titanium, or zirconium with an organic polymer and with an organic carboxylic acid having a pK.sub.a value of at most 4.0, present in an amount of at least 2 moles per mole of inorganic component, under conditions such that a homogeneous solution of all three components is initially formed, agitating the solution at 0.degree.-100.degree. C. until gelation of the inorganic component occurs, and recovering the inorganic-organic composition. Water need not be present as an initial reactant. Such compositions often are transparent, always have improved toughness, as compared with inorganic gels alone, and are believed to have a structure in which the organic polymer is entrapped in the inorganic gel in such an intimate manner that these two components cannot be separated from each other by physical means without destruction of the organic polymer.

Abstract: Single component inorganic/organic network materials incorporating the physical properties of glasses with the flexibility of organic materials of empirical formula X(SiO.sub.1.5).sub.n wherein X is one or more flexible organic linkages and n is greater than or equal to 2, as well as precursors thereof, are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogen silsesquioxane resin (H-resin) fractions derived from an extraction process using one or more fluids at, near or above their critical state. These fractions can comprise narrow molecular weight fractions with a dispersity less than about 3.0 or fractions useful for applying coatings on substrates. The invention also relates to a method of using these fractions for forming ceramic coatings on substrates.

Abstract: The invention relates to the chemical vapor deposition of dihalogenated silanes to form stable, abrasion resistant, photoconductive, dopable semiconductor amorphous films on substrates. Additional hydrogen and plasma discharge conditions are not necessary to practice the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hydrogen silsesquioxane resin (H-resin) fractions derived from an extraction process using one or more fluids at, near or above their critical state. These fractions can comprise narrow molecular weight fractions with a dispersity less than about 3.0 or fractions useful for applying coatings on substrates. The invention also relates to a method of using these fractions for forming ceramic coatings on substrates.

Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a continuous coating of amorphous silicon carbide on the surface of articles by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. In the method, the chemical vapor comprises a silicon-containing cyclobutane, such as a silacyclobutane or a 1,3-disilacyclobutane. The coatings formed by the invention are useful for application to solar cells, for preventing corrosion of electronic devices, for forming interlevel dielectric layers between metallization layers of electronic devices, and for providing abrasion resistance to surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to the selective and stepwise reduction of polyhalosilanes by reacting at room temperature or below with alkyltin hydrides without the use of free radical intermediates. Alkyltin hydrides selectively and stepwise reduce the Si--Br, Si--Cl, or Si--I bonds while leaving intact any Si--F bonds. When two or more different halogens are present on the polyhalosilane, the halogen with the highest atomic weight is preferentially reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to the selective and sequential reduction of halodisilanes by reacting these compounds at room temperature or below with trialkyltin hydrides or dialkyltin dihydrides without the use of free radical intermediates. The alkyltin hydrides selectively and sequentially reduce the Si-Cl, Si-Br or Si-I bonds while leaving intact the Si-Si and Si-F bonds present.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming amorphous, photoconductive, and semiconductive silicon films on a substrate by the vapor phase thermal decomposition of a fluorohydridodisilane or a mixture of fluorohydridodisilanes. The invention is useful for the protection of surfaces including electronic devices.