Patent ID: 8759111

Claim:
A porous sol-gel material consisting essentially of: units of one or more first polyalkoxysilane(s) selected from the following compounds: (chloromethyl)triethoxysilane; 1,3-dimethyltetramethoxydisiloxane; ethyltrimethoxysilane; triethoxy(ethyl)silane; triethoxymethylsilane; triethoxy(vinyl)silane; trimethoxymethylsilane; trimethoxy(vinyl)silane; tetraethoxysilane and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS); and units of one or more second polyalkoxysilane(s) selected from the following compounds: (N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)ethylenediamine; 3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane in a first polyalkoxy-silane(s)/second polyalkoxysilane(s) mole ratio of 1/0.01 to 1/1; wherein the porous sol-gel matrix is solid, self-standing and transparent to UV radiation; and wherein the sol-gel material is prepared according to a process comprising: mixing the first polyalkoxysilane(s), at a temperature of −25 to −15° C., with a water-miscible organic solvent therefor, then adding a second polyalkoxysilane(s), adding water; and continuing stirring to obtain a sol and then the defined sol-gel.