SOL-GEL SCIENCE

Mix the reactives

Gelification
Hydrolysis and Condesation
reactions take place Aging

Sol
Soaking
Gelification

Aging Drying
Gel

Gel Aerogel
Gelification
OR OR

Mix reactives OR Si + H2O

HO Si + ROH
OR OR
OR OR

OR OR OR OR

OR Si + HO Si
OR
Si
O
Si
OR
+ ROH
Hydrolysis and Condesation OR OR
OR OR OR OR
reactions take place

OR OR
OR OR
Sol
Si OH + HO Si
OR
Si
O
Si
OR
+ H2O
OR OR
OR OR OR OR
Gelification

Gel Aging

Gel
Polycondensation

OH OH

HO Si O Si OH + 6Si(OH)4

OH OH
OH OH

HO Si OH HO Si OH

OH O O OH

HO Si O Si O Si O Si OH + 6(H2O)

OH O O OH

HO Si OHHO Si OH

OH OH
Effect of experimental condition on

the gelling time

(1) pH value
(2) temperature
(3) molar ration of H2O:Si
(4) precursor molecules
(5) volume ratio of ROH:H2O
(6) solvent and additive

solvent gelling time (hrs)

Methanol 8
Formamide 6
Dimethyl-formamide 28
Acetonitrile 23
Dioxane 41
 Example of preparation of lithium containing gel

Hydrolysis of TEOS with LiNO3 solution and LiOH solution

Preparation of V2O5 crystals through sol-gel

VO(i-OC3H7)3 or VOCl3
+ C2H5OH+ H2O + dilute HNO3

pH~2 stir 1 day at 65oC

dark green color

60oC oven for 4 weeks

Dried gels dark green brown color

Heat treated in oxygen atmosphere

to varies temperatures
brown color
Alumina gel
Some Systems have been studied
1.SiO2, Al2O3, B2O3, ZrO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, V2O5, Fe2O3,
P2O5, ZnO
2. Binary : SiO2-Al2O3, Li2O-B2O3, P2O5-SiO2.
3. Composite : CdS-SiO2, Pt-SiO2, organic-inorganic hybrids,
dye(R6G)-doped hybrids
4. Multi-component: BaTiO3, PbZrxTi(1-x)O3,
(Pb(1-y)Lay)( ZrxTi(1-x))O3, YBa2Cu3O7
Some Metal-alkoxides
TEOS (Si(OC2H5)4, 1L, 98%, USD $291),
TMOS (Si(OCH3)4), 100g, 98%, USD $100)
TPT (Ti(OCH(CH3)2)4, 500ml, 97%, USD $52),
TBZ ((Zr(OC4H9)4, 25g, 99%, USD $249),
ASB (Al(OC4H9)3, 500g 97% USD $64),