Abstract
UV irradiation is a well-established and effective process for polymer curing. However, it has been largely ignored in the field of polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) due to its intricate mechanism and strict requirements for the precursor molecular structure. The current work designs and synthesizes a series of UV-curable polyborosilazanes containing various vinyl groups, simultaneously examines the effect of UV curing, and investigates the mechanism of curing. Cyclization mechanisms involving vinyl-free radicals and silyl-free radicals are postulated based on the molecular structure of the precursor before and after curing. The ceramic yield of UV-cured precursors is increased by up to 9.0 wt %. Moreover, SiBCN ceramics, pyrolyzed from UV-cured precursors, exhibit excellent thermal stability and remain amorphous at temperatures of up to 1600 °C. The mechanistic interpretation of UV curing opens horizons for the design and application of UV-curable ceramic precursors.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2166-2176 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | ACS Applied Polymer Materials |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 10 Mar 2023 |
Keywords
- SiBCN ceramics
- UV curing
- UV curing mechanisms
- Polyborosilazanes
- Polymer-derived ceramics