POLY 339 |
| Dibutyltin dilaurate is typically employed as a catalyst to bring about the hydrolysis, and subsequent condensation, of silicones to form cross-linked networks in the room temperature vulcanization (RTV) process. However, given the interest in silicones as biomaterials, the use of potentially toxic tin compounds as catalysts can limit the use of polydimethylsiloxane compounds in such applications. This study describes the use of trypsin as a catalyst for the cross-linking of alkoxysilyl-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane in comparison with the more traditional, and somewhat more toxic, tin-based catalyst system. Preliminary results have demonstrated that trypsin effectively catalyzes the cross-linking of α,ω-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl-polydimethylsiloxane (TES-PDMS). Computational methods are being employed to determine the mechanism occurring within the enzymes' active site during the RTV process. The use of these techniques in the development of enzyme-based methodologies for performing “green” silicone reactions will be discussed. |
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Silicones and Silicone-Modified Materials
8:30 AM-12:00 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon A2, Oral
Division of Polymer Chemistry |