silanisaation

Silanisation is a chemical process used to modify the surface of materials, typically glass, silica, or silicon-containing substrates, by introducing organosilane molecules. This treatment creates a stable, covalently bonded layer on the surface. The organosilane molecules used generally have at least one alkoxy or chloro group that reacts with hydroxyl groups present on the substrate surface, forming a siloxane bond. The other functional group(s) on the organosilane molecule are then exposed to the surrounding environment, imparting new properties to the surface.

Common applications of silanisation include making surfaces hydrophobic or hydrophilic, improving adhesion between different materials, reducing surface friction, and creating chemically active surfaces for further functionalization or sensing. For instance, silanisation can be used to make glass slides for microscopy more receptive to biological samples, or to improve the bonding of polymers to inorganic fillers in composite materials. The specific properties imparted depend entirely on the choice of the organosilane used. This versatile surface modification technique is widely employed in fields such as analytical chemistry, materials science, and biotechnology.