Patent ID: 6352610
Filing Date: 2002-03-05
Classification: C01P,C03C,C09C,C09D

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a composite material comprising a vegetable material substrate that is not wood and a nanocomposite in functional contact with the substrate, the method comprising:(1) surface modifying colloidal inorganic particles with one or more silanes of the general formula Rxâ€”Siâ€”A4âˆ’x where each A is the same or different and is selected from hydroxyl and groups that are hydrolytically removable but are not methoxy, each R is the same or different and is selected from groups that are not hydrolytically removable, and x is 0, 1, 2, or 3, where x&gE;1 in at least 50 mol % of the silanes; under sol-gel process conditions with a quantity of water that is sub-stoichiometric based on the quantity of hydrolytically removable groups present on the silanes so that a polysiloxane is formed, thereby preparing a nanocomposite sol; (2) optionally further hydrolyzing and condensing the nanocomposite sol; (3) optionally activating the nanocomposite sol with a further quantity of water; (4) contacting the substrate with the nanocomposite sol to form an assembly; and (5) curing the assembly, thereby forming the composite material.