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C. Feldgitscher, S. Ivanovici, G. Kickelbick:
"Versatile Hybrid Polymers as Matrices for Nanoparticle Preparation";
in: "Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Symposium S, Vol. 1007", Materials Research Society, 2007, ISSN: 0272-9172.

Hybrid inorganic-organic polymers were prepared applying poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) crosslinked polysiloxanes as a matrix for the precipitation of metal or metal oxide nanoparticles. Polysiloxanes as flexible and hydrophobic polymer backbones were crosslinked with end-group functionalized PEO by using Pt-catalyzed hydrosilation reactions. Systematic variation of the chain length of the different components resulted in tunable matrices with adjustable hydrophilic regions. The chemical nature of the polysiloxane backbone and the thermal stability of the crosslinked polymer system facilitated nanoparticle preparation through different mechanisms. The crosslinked hybrid polymers were infiltrated with solutions of lanthanide salts, cobalt carbonyl or HAuCl₄ allowing the application of three different chemical methods (hydrolysis, thermal decomposition, reduction) for nanoparticle preparation. FT-IR, SEM and TEM analyses were used to characterize the insoluble hybrid systems