Patent ID: 8101242

Claim:
A method for coating a substrate surface, the method comprising: (a) applying to the substrate a coating formulation comprising: (i) a silicon-containing polymer prepared by the reaction of: (1) a precursor polymer comprising units having the structural formula (I) wherein R 1 is C 1 -C 30 hydrocarbyl which is optionally substituted and is optionally heteroatom containing, and optionally comprising units having the structure of formula (II) wherein each R 2 and R 3 is independently selected from H, C 1 -C 30 hydrocarbyl, organometallic, halocarbyl, and organosilyl, each of which is optionally substituted and is optionally heteroatom-containing; with (2) a second reagent selected from H 2 O, an alcohol having the structure R 10 OH, a mixture of alcohols each having the structure R 10 OH, and combinations thereof, wherein each R 10 is independently selected from hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, organometallic, and organosilyl, each of which is optionally substituted and is optionally heteroatom containing; in the presence of (3) a dehydrocoupling catalyst effective to convert at least about 20% of the Si—H groups to Si—O— groups, provided that no more than 50% of the newly formed Si—O bonds of the uncured silicon-containing polymer product units have the structure —[Si(R 1 )O 1.5 ]—; and (4) an optional inert solvent; (ii) an optional particulate filler; and (iii) an optional compatible solvent; and (b) curing the applied coating formulation at a curing temperature for a predetermined curing time and optionally in the presence of a curing catalyst, wherein the curing temperature is below the temperature required for pyrolysis and conversion of the silicon-containing polymer to a ceramic product.