Thermal and thermo-oxidative properties of the decahydro-closo-decaborate anion B10H102− in a silicate matrix

Using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry in air and argon, we have studied the products of reactions between the B10H102− anion and water glass (WG) sodium silicates. The reaction products have the form of spatially branched supramolecular structures. Supramolecular structures of various compositions have been synthesized at initial WG/(Et3NH)2B10H10 reactant ratios of 70/30, 60/40, 50/50, and 40/60. In the range 20–600℃, we have studied the following processes in the WG/B10H102− systems: removal of adsorbed water (50–200℃), condensation of silicates containing silanol groups (200–300℃), and oxidation of the B10H102− anion in the silicate matrix (300–600℃). All three processes have been shown to depend on content.