Equilibrium rigidity of polyphenylsilsesquioxanes

Abstract A comparative evaluation was made of the equilibrium rigidity of polyphenylsilsesquioxanes (PPSSO) obtained by anionic polymerization of hydrolytic products of phenyltrichlorosilane with and without bifunctional additives. Diphenylsilane diol (PPSSO-1) and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (PPSSO-2) were selected as bifunctional agents. Investigations of the behaviour of PPSSO in benzene and calculation of conformation parameters using several theories showed that the rigidity of macromolecules decreases in the order PPSSO-PPSSO-1-PPSSO-2 (PPSSO is the polymer without bifunctional additives).