A SiOC
membrane with high oxidative stability for gas separation
was tailored by utilizing vinyltrimethoxysilane, triethoxysilane,
and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane as Si precursors. Amorphous SiOC
networks were formed via the condensation of Si–OH groups,
the hydrosilylation of Si–H and Si–CH=CH
2
groups, and a crosslinking reaction of Si–CH
3
groups, respectively. The crosslinking of Si–CH
3
groups at temperatures ranging from 600 to 700 °C under a N
2
atmosphere was quite effective in constructing a Si–CH
2
–Si unit without the formation of mesopores, which
was confirmed by the results of N
2
adsorption and by the
gas permeation properties. The network pore size of the SiOC membrane
calcined at 700 °C under N
2
showed high oxidative
stability at 500 °C and was appropriate for the separation of
large molecules (H
2
/CF
4
selectivity: 640, H
2
/SF
6
: 2900, N
2
/CF
4
: 98).
A SiOC membrane calcined at 800 °C showed H
2
/N
2
selectivity of 62, which was approximately 10 times higher
than that calcined at 700 °C because the SiOC networks were densified
by the cleavage and redistribution reactions of Si–C and Si–O
groups.