This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research in materials science between Richard M. Laine of the University of Michigan and Jacques Livage of the Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France. The investigators propose to explore the use of novel silicate and alumino silicate as polymer precursors to oxide and oxynitride glasses and ceramics. The University of Michigan laboratory will synthesize a series of related silicon containing precursors, pyrolize them according to a matrix of heating schedules. The Paris group will characterize the products' chemical composition, ceramic phase and microstructural makeup through Magic Angel Spinning and solid state NMR techniques. The U.S. investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in precursor polymer synthesis. This is complemented by the French investigator's well-established program in sol-gel and ceramics analysis. The research will advance understanding of the fundamental principles for design of precursors to multi- component (metallic) oxide/oxynitride glasses and ceramics.
