Sol-gel process

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-010984",
  "term": "Sol-gel process",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A chemical process used to produce solid materials from small molecules, typically involving the hydrolysis and condensation of molecular precursors to form a colloidal suspension (sol), followed by its gelation into a continuous network. This method allows for the synthesis of inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic materials with controlled microstructure and properties. It is widely used for creating ceramics, glasses, and composite materials.",
  "subject": "Polymer",
  "see_also": [
    "gel",
    "inorganic polymer",
    "network",
    "sol"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2007, 79, 1801. 'Definitions of terms relating to the structure and processing of sols, gels, networks, and inorganic-organic hybrid materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2007)' on page 1825 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779101801)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/sol-gel-process/"
}