Silsesquioxane Materials as Sun Protection Factor Ingredients and as Films for Greenhouse Covers

Abstract

Using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) derived from the hydrolytic condensation of (3–methacryloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPMS), vinyltrimethoxysilane (VMS), and (3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPMS), three hybrid nanofilms, f-MP (film-MPMS-POSS), f-GP and f-VP, were prepared using sol-gel and crosslinking processes. The average transparency (AT) and absorption coefficents (AC) of the films were measured in the ranges of 280-2500 nm. Two film transparency applications are described in this work: 1) The AT values of the POSS films in the range of the ultraviolet B (UV-B) spectrum (280–320 nm) (a skin cancer-causing agent) and 2) the AT values in the visible light (VIS) region (400-750 nm) and the near infrared (NIR) region (750-2500 nm) (providing crops growth energy and the improvement of the photosynthetic process efficiency). The AT values of the POSS films in the UV-B range are only about 13%, indicating these films can provide a physical barrier to block UV-B absorption by the skin, and therefore are possible POSS materials for sunscreen ingredients. The AT values in the VIS region are 95.13%, 89.16% and 91.60%, respectively, and the AT values in the near infrared (NIR) region (750-2500 nm) are 95.39%, 93.11% and 90.50%, respectively. These high AT films are good candidates for greenhouse covers. The AT values among the three films in the 280-2500nm region are different and exhibit varied selectivity for absorbed spectra due to the dissimilar sizes of organic branches covalently bonded to the silica network in the film structure.