Gurav, Jyoti L. Jung, In-Keun Park, Hyung-Ho Kang, Eul Son Nadargi, Digambar Y. <jats:p>Silica aerogels have drawn a lot of interest both in science and technology because of their low bulk density (up to 95% of their volume is air), hydrophobicity, low thermal conductivity, high surface area, and optical transparency. Aerogels are synthesized from molecular precursors by sol-gel processing. Special drying techniques must be applied to replace the pore liquid with air while maintaining the solid network. Supercritical drying is most common; however, recently developed methods allow removal of the liquid at atmospheric pressure after chemical modification of the inner surface of the gels, leaving only a porous silica network filled with air. Therefore, by considering the surprising properties of aerogels, the present review addresses synthesis of silica aerogels by the sol-gel method, as well as drying techniques and applications in current industrial development and scientific research.</jats:p> application/pdf https://sonar.ch/global/documents/196790 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1155/2010/409310 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/issn/1687-4110 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Journal of Nanomaterials. - Hindawi Limited. - 2010, vol. 2010, p. 1-11 General Materials Science Silica Aerogel: Synthesis and Applications http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501