Current Research and Applications of Silica Aerogels

The principles and the latest developments of silica aerogels are reviewed,including raw materials,gelation technologies,drying technologies,performances and applications.Also the current and the future research trends are evaluated briefly.While the outstanding performances of silica aerogels have been recognized wildly,the preparation technologies are centered on lower cost processes and improvements in some main defects of silica aerogels.At the same time,study on thermal insulation,absorption and catalysis is the mainstream in the application fields.