Structural features of polymeric silicon glycerolate hydrogels

Structural features of polymeric silicon glycerolate hydrogels based on tetrafunctional silicon glycerolates were investigated using model process, namely, hydrolytic transformation of difunctional silicon glycerolates, by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, atomic emission spectrometry. The possibility of forming a polymer network containing Si—O—Si and Si—OCH2CH(OH)CH2O—Si fragments was demonstrated. The molecular weight of the sub-chains in the network was calculated using Flory—Rehner approach based on the mechanical properties of the swollen network of flexible polymeric chains.