Polymer Synthesizing Techniques

Inorganic polymers stationed on alumina and silica polysialate units were synthesized from dehydroxylated aluminosilicate clay (metakaolinite) condensed with sodium silicate in a highly alkaline environment. Combination of the aluminosilicate with alkali polysilicates yields polymeric Si–O–Al three-dimensional structures with charge-balancing positive ions such as hydrated Na+ in the framework cavities. A statistical study of the effect on the polymerisation process of the molar ratio of the component oxides and the water content of the mixture showed the latter to be a critical parameter.