Xerogels: Preparation, Properties and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, entitled “Xerogels: Preparation, Properties and Applications”, is dedicated to recent developments in the synthesis and characterization of xerogels with interesting and enhanced properties for advanced applications.

Polymeric gel materials are traditionally prepared using the sol–gel process, which was discovered by Ebelmen in 1846 via experiments revealing the hydrolysis and condensation of silicon esters upon exposition to moisture. This method constitutes a flexible and versatile synthesis approach that employs mild conditions to obtain micro or nanosized materials whose properties are strongly dependent on the synthesis parameters; these parameters include the ratio of the molecular precursors; the precursor–solvent ratio; the pH of the Sol; the curing solvent and duration; and the way in which the drying step is performed. 

Specifically, xerogels are a type of solid-formed gel that is obtained by slowly drying the cured alcogels at room temperature, which leads to the shrinkage of the polymeric network; this usually produces micro–mesoporous materials with a large surface area and high porosity. In addition, carbon and silicon xerogels are biocompatible, exhibiting thermal and chemical stability and highly customizable properties; they have therefore attracted significant interest with regard to the adsorption of contaminants; the utilization of catalyst supports; the preparation of membranes; biomedical technology; and the development of batteries.

Therefore, in order to provide an overview of recent breakthroughs in the field of xerogels (carbon, silicon, and other metal oxide xerogels), we encourage the submission of original research papers or reviews that address the relationship between the structure of xerogels, their properties and their optimization for specific applications.

Dr. Guillermo Cruz-Quesada
Dr. Natalia Rey-Raap
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

• synthesis of xerogels
• sol–gel techniques
• physicochemical characterization
• synthesis parameters optimization
• structure–properties relationship
• xerogel applications
• water treatment applications
• heterogeneous catalysis
• biocompatibility assessment
• membrane preparation