Functional Hybrid Materials via Sol–Gel Processing: Design and Properties

Dear Colleagues,

Functional hybrid materials are of great importance for many applications and are widely used in the production of electronic devices and sensors, catalysis, energy storage, and medicine. Combining inorganic (nano)particles with various organic components may result in hybrid materials with enhanced mechanical, optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. However, designing and producing such materials with controlled properties is often challenging. Sol–gel processing is a versatile approach to producing high-purity nanomaterials with tailored structures and properties at low costs. Recently, the sol–gel route has been proven to be suitable for the encapsulation of various proteins, antibodies, enzymes, and bacteria, leading to new hybrid materials with broad applicability in biomedicine. However, the structure and properties of the produced materials are highly dependent on the processing parameters and post-synthesis processing, such as thermal treatment or coatings. For this Special Issue, we intend to gather original research and review articles on the production of functional hybrid materials via sol–gel processing and their characterization and applications.

Dr. Erika Andrea Levei
Guest Editor

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