Linear polyhydromethylsiloxane (PHMS) was functionalized with nitrogen-containing organic compounds:N-allylaniline (Naa),N-allylcyclohexylamine (Nach),N-allylpiperidine (Nap) and 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) via hydrosilylation reaction in the presence of Pt⁰complex (Karstedt’s catalyst) under mild conditions. Reaction course was followed by FTIR spectroscopy and final hydrosilylation products were characterized by FTIR,¹H,²⁹Si NMR and²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectroscopies as well as by elemental analysis. Results showed that functionalization of PHMS withN-allyl amines took place but in none of the systems it was complete. Hydrosilylation of Naa, Nach and Nap with PHMS led both, to the β and α addition products.²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy showed unequivocally that the reaction of PHMS with 4VP did not occur and the only reactions in the systems were hydrolysis of Si–H groups of PHMS followed by condensation of the silanol groups resulting in cross-linking of the polymer. All the functionalized polymers studied in the work contained reactive amine moieties prone to further modifications, therefore exhibit a great potential for various applications.

A silicon oxycarbide-carbon nanotube coating on steel was synthesized using a novel approach utilizing unmodified carbon nanotubes (CNT), silane surfactant and large monomer-based silsesquioxane sol. This enabled the creation of very stable carbon nanotube dispersion, which in turn resulted in homogenous layers obtained in a simple dip-coating process. The samples were annealed in 800 °C in argon to obtain a uniform glassy silicon oxycarbide-based composite from a silsesquioxane precursor. The layers’ morphology and nanomechanical properties were investigated using a number of methods, including infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nanoindentation, Accelerated Property Mapping (XPM) and Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping—an Atomic Force Microscopy method (QNM-AFM).

Amine-functionalized polysiloxanes, due to the presence of amino moieties, can be used for the extraction of toxic metal ions from wastewater, as supports for metallic catalysts, stabilizers for metal nanoparticles, macromolecular biocides, or as self-healing materials. In the present work, we studied poly(hydromethylsiloxane) (PHMS) networks functionalized with three amines: N-allyaniline (Naa), N-allylcyclohexylamine (Nach), and N-allylpiperidine (Nap). They were prepared using two procedures. The first one was a two-step process in which the previously cross-linked PHMS was reacted with the amine. The second, one-step method involved simultaneous PHMS cross-linking and reaction with the amine. FTIR and ²⁹Si MAS-NMR spectroscopic investigations, as well as elemental analysis, allowed us to conclude that the one-step method was more advantageous. It ensured higher PHMS networks functionalization degrees and hindered hydrolysis/condensation of Si-H/SiOH groups side processes, which were related to the basicity of the studied amines and significant in the two-step procedure.

Polymers containing biocidal moieties (e.g., amino or ammonium groups) are considered promising materials that can help combat the growing resistance of pathogens to commonly used antimicrobials. Searching for new polymeric biocides, in this work, non-porous and porous poly(hydromethylsiloxane) (PHMS) networks were prepared and post-functionalized by N-allylaniline (Naa). Non-porous networks were obtained by cross-linking PHMS in the bulk and porous—in W/O high-internal-phase emulsion (HIPE). Linear divinyldisiloxane (M₂^Vi) or cyclic tetravinyltetrasiloxane (D₄^Vi) were used as cross-linkers. Studies confirmed the expected non-porous and open macroporous microstructure of the initial networks. They also showed that functionalization by Naa was more efficient for the non-porous networks that swelled to lower extents in toluene and contained higher amounts of Si-H groups than the porous ones. In the reactions with benzyl chloride or 1-bromoctane, some amino groups present in these materials were transformed to ammonium groups. It was found that activity against Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli bacteria depended on the functionalization degree, cross-linking level and the microstructure of the modified materials.