Sol-Gel Science and Technology: Current State and Future Prospects

This paper addresses the current state and future prospects of sol-gel processing. It summarizes responses to a questionnaire received from more than four dozen leaders of the sol-gel community. Overall, the respondents remain quite sanguine about the future prospects for the field, and with numerous areas where sol-gel processing can provide unique capabilities and novel materials. The present authors acknowledge this potential, but argue that its achievement will depend upon greatly increased involvement of the sol-gel community with applications, and carrying out a much larger fraction of sol-gel research in the context of applications.     

溶胶-凝胶法构筑介孔二氧化硅纳微结构

基于硅酸脂水解/缩合的溶胶-凝胶法是目前制备SiO₂胶体最为常用的化学方法. 在溶胶-凝胶反应过程中, 引入介孔导向剂(通常是表面活性剂)可以得到具有介孔结构的SiO₂胶体. 通过对硅酸脂在多相体系界面水解/缩合过程的调控, 可以构筑具有不同纳微结构的介孔SiO₂材料, 为拓展介孔SiO₂材料的应用领域提供了新机遇, 同时也丰富了对溶胶-凝胶法的理解和认识. 本文综述了利用溶胶-凝胶法构筑介孔SiO₂纳微结构的最新研究进展, 并介绍了其在生物医药、 催化、 吸附分离等领域的应用前景, 最后对这一领域所面临的问题和未来发展方向进行了总结和展望.     

Sol-Gel Research—Achievements Since 1981 and Prospects for the Future

The beginning of the present era of Sol-Gel science and technology is perhaps best identified as the First International Workshop on Glasses and Glass Ceramics from Gels organized by the late Professor V. Gottardi and held in Padova in October 1981. Since that time there has been nine more Workshops held every two years all over the world. These past twenty years have witnessed the phenomenal growth of sol-gel research. Some 3000 papers have been published in this field. The objective of this report is to summarize some of the most significant research achievements and to discuss prospects for the future. Research in these past two decades is divided into three generations of solid gels: oxides, inorganic-organic hybrids and composites made from the suspension of a variety of solids in the hybrids. Some specific examples are presented. Although research accomplishments to date have been remarkable, success has created a proliferation of research conferences sponsored by seemingly too many professional groups. This and the duplication of research plus the lack of recognition by the scientific community on the value and direction of sol-gel research have cast a shadow on future prospects.     

Sol-gel carbon composite electrode as an amperometric detector for liquid chromatography

The performance characteristics of an electrochemical detector for liquid chromatography based on a sol-gel carbon composite working electrode in a wall-jet configuration are described. The new detector combines the versatility of sol-gel processes with several favorable characteristics, including fast electron-transfer kinetics, mechanical rigidity and renewability. Factors influencing the amperometric response are explored and optimized. Detection limits of 58-170 pg are reported for various neurotransmitters. Repetitive injections yield peak heights with relative standard deviations of 2.6-3.7%. The prospects of using sol-gel derived electrochemical detectors are discussed.     

有机-硅胶杂化整体柱的制备及应用研究进展

有机-硅胶杂化整体柱结合了有机聚合物整体柱和硅胶整体柱的优势, 具有制备简单、机械强度高和通透性好等优点, 近年来备受关注. 有机-硅胶杂化整体柱的制备方法主要有常规溶胶-凝胶法、“一锅法”和其它聚合方法. 目前, 杂化整体柱已被广泛应用于微纳尺度分离分析、样品预处理和固定化酶反应器基质中. 本文综述了有机-硅胶杂化整体柱的制备方法及应用研究进展, 并展望了其今后的发展前景.     

溶胶-凝胶法设计与制备金属及合金纳米材料的研究进展

溶胶-凝胶法是常见的制备金属氧化物的方法之一。在溶胶-凝胶法中,各种反应物能达到分子级的均匀混合,因此能制备成份复杂的氧化物材料。目前,溶胶-凝胶法也应用于设计与制备金属纳米材料,特别是合金纳米颗粒。例如,溶胶-凝胶法能应用于制备CoPt、FePt等磁性纳米合金材料以及CoCrCuNiAl高熵合金纳米材料,以及物相结构为有序相的Cu3Pt合金纳米材料。本文综述溶胶-凝胶法设计制备金属纳米材料的研究进展,包括溶胶-凝胶法实施的基本步骤、该方法在制备金属纳米材料方面的具体应用,并着重论述采用热力学计算设计金属及化合物的基本原理。该基本原理包括计算金属氧化物与还原性气体如氢气的还原反应的吉布斯自由能的变化量、金属氧化物的标准电极电位(不同于金属离子的标准电极电位)。最后探讨溶胶-凝胶法设计制备金属纳米材料存在的问题以及后续可能的发展方向。     

低温燃烧合成超细陶瓷微粉的最新研究

以硝酸盐-有机燃料混合物体系和硝酸盐-柠檬酸溶胶-凝胶体系为研究对象,综述了低温燃烧合成(LCS)陶瓷粉体的研究进展,介绍了低温燃烧合成陶瓷微粉的原理、方法以及影响因素,并对工艺要求和特点以及实际应用进行了较详尽的介绍.探讨了国内外研究现状、应用前景和发展趋势.     

Current sol-gel activities in Japan

In Japan, sol-gel research activities are very prosperous and there are many successful commercial products. It appears that this trend will continue into the future. In this article, basic sol-gel research carried out in Japanese universities and applications of the sol-gel method to industrial production will be described. It should be noted that many unique studies, including photocatalysts and products involving coatings applied to automobiles and display panels, are found in Japan.     

Protein micropatterning on bifunctional organic-inorganic sol-gel hybrid materials

Active protein micropatterns and microarrays made by selective localization are popular candidates for medical diagnostics, such as biosensors, bioMEMS, and basic protein studies. In this paper, we present a simple fabrication process of thick (approximately 20 microm) protein micropatterning using capillary force lithography with bifunctional sol-gel hybrid materials. Because bifunctional sol-gel hybrid material can have both an amine function for linking with protein and a methacryl function for photocuring, proteins such as streptavidin can be immobilized directly on thick bifunctional sol-gel hybrid micropatterns. Another advantage of the bifunctional sol-gel hybrid materials is the high selective stability of the amine group on bifunctional sol-gel hybrid patterns. Because amine function is regularly contained in each siloxane oligomers, immobilizing sites for streptavidin are widely distributed on the surface of thick hybrid micropatterns. The micropatterning processes of active proteins using efficient bifunctional sol-gel hybrid materials will be useful for the development of future bioengineered systems because they can save several processing steps and reduce costs.     

溶胶-凝胶工艺制备发光薄膜研究进展

本文综述了通过深胶－凝胶工艺制备发光薄膜的基本过程、薄膜的表征方法、发光薄膜的当前发展及应用情况。依据组成特点,对溶胶－凝胶法制备的发光薄膜乾地了分类阐述,并预言了今后该法制备发光薄膜的发展趋势。     

模板法组装纳米有序阵列的研究进展

由金属、半导体、碳纳米管、聚苯胺等组成的纳米有序阵列体系,在能量存储或转换、传感等方面具有广阔的应用前景。模板法组装纳米有序阵列体系是以具有特定微孔结构的材料为模板,通过电化学沉积、溶胶-凝胶沉积和化学气相沉积等手段,让纳米单元在模板提供的受控环境中原位生成,形成纳米有序阵列体系。模板法具有可控性好、工艺简便、能耗低等优点。本文综述了模板法组装纳米有序阵列体系的研究进展,并对纳米有序阵列体系的应用前景作了展望。     

溶胶-凝胶法制备纳米WO_3气致变色材料

本文主要阐述了纳米WO3气致变色材料的溶胶-凝胶制备方法、气致变色机理及其应用的研究新进展,重点评述了溶胶-凝胶法中各种制备条件诸如掺杂、模板剂、溶剂、热处理温度等对这种材料的结构和性能的影响,最后展望了纳米WO3气致变色材料的研究和应用前景。我们认为,在未来的溶胶-凝胶法制备纳米WO3气致变色材料领域,如何进行最优化的掺杂设计和选择高效模板剂、如何降低气体检测温度以及气致变色机理等将是该项研究的重点。     

Past and Present of Sol-Gel Science and Technology

In the last twenty years sol-gel science has undergone a spectacular development. The various stages of the sol-gel process have been scrutinised in considerable detail and a sound basis for future technological developments established. In the beginning the studies centred mainly on silica and silicate glasses and were progressively extended to many ceramics and composites. A turning point was reached with the emergence of ormosils and of organic-inorganic nanocomposites. This opened the gateway to whole classes of new materials. The present studies show a definite tendency towards very specialised high-tech applications.     

A2BO4尖晶石类催化剂在紫外可见光水氧化的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备La_xSr_(2-x)MnO_4尖晶石类光催化剂,确定了适用于La_xSr_(2-x)MnO_4的制备方法和条件,通过改变结构和组分实现光催化水氧化反应。实验表明,晶体的缺陷和晶格的变形影响光催化性能且x为0.3~0.6时都表现良好的催化活性,Na_2S_2O_8浓度过高不利于催化性能,可能发生其它的副反应。利用X-射线衍射(XRD)法,气相色谱(GC)法、电化学循环伏安法、极化曲线法、X射线光电子能谱分析(XPS)法对结构和其催化性能进行表征。     

Fluorous biphase catalysis

The evolution and future prospects for the fluorous biphase approach to homogeneous catalysis are discussed.     

Synthesis of halide glasses by reactive processing of sol-gel materials

This paper aims to introduce fluoride materials, their conventional processing and how sol-gel processing can be used both to simplify processing and to improve properties. A multistep process incorporating sol-gel synthesis and reactive treatment is used to prepare a monolithic ZBLA fluoride glass. The first step is synthesis of a porous, monolithic, atomically homogeneous hydrous oxide gel containing zirconium, barium, lanthanum, aluminum and possibly sodium as components (ZBLA or ZBLAN). The second step is a relatively low-temperature reactive treatment of the gel with a fluorinating agent to achieve a porous fluoride glass. Subsequently, the gel is viscous sintered to a dense glass. The present status and future challenges in the preparation of optical-quality fluoride glasses via this method will be presented.     

Sol-gel stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography

A review is presented on the current state of the art and future trends in the development of sol-gel stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design and synthesis of stationary phases with prescribed chromatographic and surface charge properties represent challenging tasks in contemporary CEC research. Further developments in CEC as a high-efficiency liquid-phase separation technique will greatly depend on new breakthroughs in the area of stationary phase development. The requirements imposed on CEC stationary phase performance are significantly more demanding compared with those for HPLC. The design of CEC stationary phase must take into consideration the structural characteristics that will provide not only the selective solute/stationary phase interactions leading to chromatographic separations but also the surface charge properties that determine the magnitude and direction of the electroosmotic flow responsible for the mobile phase movement through the CEC column. Therefore, the stationary phase technology in CEC presents a more complex problem than in conventional chromatographic techniques. Different approaches to stationary phase development have been reported in contemporary CEC literature. The sol-gel approach represents a promising direction in this important research. It is applicable to the preparation of CEC stationary phases in different formats: surface coatings, micro/submicro particles, and monolithic beds. Besides, in the sol-gel approach, appropriate sol-gel precursors and other building blocks can be selected to create a stationary phase with desired structural and surface properties. One remarkable advantage of the sol-gel approach is the mild thermal conditions under which the stationary phase synthesis can be carried out (typically at room temperature). It also provides an effective pathway to integrating the advantageous properties of organic and inorganic material systems, and thereby enhancing and fine-tuning chromatographic selectivity of the created hybrid organic-inorganic stationary phases. This review focuses on recent developments in the design, synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of sol-gel stationary phases in CEC.     

量子点成像的新研究进展

量子点(又称纳米荧光颗粒)在生物学研究中特别是在生物医学成像方面的应用,已引起广泛关注。通过荧光成像可观察量子点标记分子与其靶标的相互作用,实时观测其在活细胞及活体中的运行轨迹,实现对细胞水平及在体层次的研究。本文综述了近两年量子点在光学成像中应用的新进展,展望了其应用前景。     

Solar thermal power generation

The technologies and systems developed thus far for solar-thermal power generation and their approximate costs are described along with discussions for future prospects.