Silica sol energy storage

Why is silica sol-gel chemistry important?

There is widespread recognition that the use of energy in the twenty-first century must be sustainable. Because of its extraordinary flexibility, silica sol–gel chemistry offers the opportunity to create the novel materials and architectures which can lead to significant advances in renewable energy and energy storage technologies.

What are the applications of silica based materials?

Silica-derived materials are of particular technological importance and have a wide range of potential applications in catalysis, energy conservation, energy storage, sensing, separation, biotechnology, optical and protective coatings, environmental remediation, etc. 10

What are sol-gel derived silica-based materials?

In both cases, sol-gel derived silica-based materials, such as aerogels and xerogels, have been receiving increasing attention due to their unique intrinsic properties: high (greater than hundreds of m 2 g −1) SSAs, ease of formation and functionalization, tunable pore structures, chemical inertness, and thermal stability [1, 2].

Can biomass-derived silica nanomaterials be used for energy synthesis?

A recent review (2024) explored the synthesis and energy applications of biomass-derived silica nanomaterials. 152 The review focused on producing electrode materials for fuel cells, supercapacitors, batteries, and solar cells using biomass-based materials, silica, activated carbon, and ammonia as starting materials.

Can polymers be used in silica sol-gels?

Polymers can be used to enhance the strength, ductility, and toughness of native high-SSA silica by creating composites or hybrids [43, , , , , , ]. Polymer incorporation in silica sol-gels can also mitigate shrinkage and cracking issues during ambient-pressure drying.

Is sol-gel derived polymer-modified silica suitable for environmental remediation?

Sol-gel derived polymer-modified silica has been investigated for environmental remediation due to the availability of high SSAs and surfaces that can be functionalized and tailored to capture specific pollutants .