“Sol-Gel Processing of Ceramics and Glass” added to ReportBuyer.com

July 11, 2012 - PRLog -- ReportBuyer.com has added a new report http://www.reportbuyer.com/go/BCC00500

The term "sol gel" was coined in the late 1800s.  It generally refers to a low-temperature method using chemical precursors that can produce ceramics and glass with higher purity and better homogeneity than high-temperature, conventional processes.  This process has been used to produce a wide range of compositions (mostly oxides) in various forms, including powders, fibers, coatings and thin films, monoliths and composites, and porous membranes.  Organic/inorganic hybrids, in which a gel (usually silica) is impregnated with polymers or organic dyes to provide specific properties, also can be made.

One of the most attractive features of the sol-gel process is that it can produce compositions that cannot be created with conventional methods.  Another benefit is that the mixing level of the solution is retained in the final product, often on the molecular scale.

The applications for sol gel-derived products are numerous.  One of the largest application areas is for coatings and thin films used in electronic, optical and electro-optic components and devices, such as substrates, capacitors, memory devices, infrared (IR) detectors and waveguides.  Antireflection coatings also are used for automotive and architectural applications.  Protective and decorative coatings have been developed as well for glass, metal and other types of substrates.
Powders of single- and multicomponent compositions can be made with submicron particle size for structural, electronic, dental and biomedical applications.  Composite powders have been patented for use as agrochemicals or herbicides.  Fibers also can be spun or drawn from precursor solutions or coated with thin films.  Both optical and refractory fibers are used for fiber optic sensors and thermal insulation.  In addition, sol gel can be used to infiltrate fiber preforms to make composites.  Abrasives, used in a variety of finishing processes, are made using a sol-gel type process.
Glass monoliths/coatings and inorganic/organic hybrids have various potential optical applications, including optical filters, chemical sensors, passive and nonlinear active waveguides and lasers.  Membranes for separation and filtration processes have been developed, as well as catalysts.  More recently, biotechnology applications have been developed in which biomolecules (such as proteins, enzymes, antibodies, etc.) are incorporated into sol-gel matrices.  Applications include biochemical processes monitoring, environmental testing, food processing and drug delivery for medicine or agriculture.  Other biomedical applications include coatings for metal implants and bone grafting materials.  Cosmetic applications include sunscreen lotions and makeup that incorporate UV absorbers.

A previous BCC report, published in 2006, analyzed potential markets and applications.   Since then, the industry has continued to develop, as the demand for existing sol-gel applications has expanded and new applications have been commercialized.  

Sol-Gel Processing of Ceramics and Glass: , is available at:
http://www.reportbuyer.com/industry_manufacturing/glass/s...