Synthesis and Emerging Applications of Novel Aerogel Materials
A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 6
Special Issue Editors
Interests: aerogel; thermal insulation; high-temperature application; energy saving in buildings
Interests: nanomaterials; lithium-ion battery; aerogel; smart window
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Aerogels represent a class of highly porous solid materials characterized by their ultra-low density, high specific surface area, and precisely tunable nano-architectures. While traditional synthesis routes rely on sol–gel chemistry followed by supercritical drying, recent advances have introduced a variety of novel preparation techniques. These include 3D printing for customized macrostructures, machine-learning-assisted optimization of synthesis parameters, green chemistry approaches using bio-derived solvents, and ambient pressure drying processes that reduce production cost and complexity. Such innovations have facilitated the emergence of new aerogel varieties, such as MXene-based aerogels, metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived aerogels, cellulose nanofiber aerogels, perovskite-type aerogels, and multicomponent heterostructure aerogels with hierarchical or biomimetic porosity.
These innovative materials exhibit exceptional functional characteristics, leading to their new, emerging applications across multiple fields. Notable emerging directions include high-efficiency thermal management and self-regulating insulating materials, flexible energy storage devices and electrocatalytic systems, environmental technologies such as atmospheric water harvesting and selective pollutant capture, and biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery, tissue regeneration scaffolds, and wearable biosensors. Additionally, their unique attributes are being exploited in more nascent fields such as smart textiles, acoustic insulation, and neutron shielding.
This Special Issue invites original research and reviews that explore innovative preparation methods, new aerogel compositions, and advanced applications. Contributions highlighting the relationship between multi-scale structures and performance, as well as sustainable and scalable production routes, are especially encouraged.
Dr. Sijia Liu
Dr. Tengyao Jiang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- aerogels
- novel structure
- advanced synthesis method
- emerging applications
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