Sol-Gel Science

Although the science and technology of sol-gel processing has experienced enormous growth in the last decade, few books have been available to help researchers cope with the flood of results published in various journals and conference proceedings. This book presents and understanding of sol-gel processing. Following the sol-gel processing sequence from beginning to end, it includes discussions on the chemistry of hydrolysis and condensation of metalorganics and inorganic salts, the growth of polymeric or particulate species in sols, gelation, aging of gels, drying, structure of gels, and sintering. In addition, it compares the properties of gel-derived and conventionally prepared ceramics, examines films in detail, and presents a variety of applications.