Sol-gel chemistry, templating and spin-coating deposition: A combined approach to control in a simple way the porosity of inorganic thin films/coatings

Porous materials are powerful functional devices that can find applications in many fields, from nanotechnology to biomedicine, from catalysis to membrane separation. In general, porous materials can be processed in various forms, but a rising interest is growing around inorganic thin films and coatings, due to the increased number of applications based on their use. Among the different strategies proposed till now for preparing inorganic porous thin layers/coatings, a simple and versatile route consists in the combined use of sol-gel chemistry, templating, and spin-coating deposition. Therefore, in order to provide a helpful toolbox for users, an extended discussion around the physico-chemical principles behind each of these steps is here reported, also highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure, together with critical points.