Preparation and structural studies of black glasses based on ladder-like silsesquioxanes.

Black glasses are very interesting and promising materials from the point of their thermal and mechanical resistance. They can be used as protective layers on different kind of substrates, like steel, titanium, glasses. Controlling amount of carbon introduced to its structure is crucial for the properties of the material. Samples were prepared by sol-gel method using ladder-like silsesquioxanes as precursor and were heat-treated at 800°C in inert atmosphere. Middle infrared, EDX and MAS NMR studies were carried out on heated samples to determine their structure. All methods confirmed presence of Si-C bonds in the resulting material. Theoretical MIR spectrum, of the constructed black glass model, allowed to make a precise assignment of bands in the experimental spectrum.