9. Conclusion

Aerogels are original materials, both in terms of their exotic mode of synthesis and their highly specific properties. Generally speaking, but not exclusively, these properties are linked to their very high porosity, combined with the high tortuosity of the coherent solid network. These characteristics result in a large developed surface area, special exchange properties (chemical, electrochemical) and high thermal and acoustic insulation capacity. The downside of aerogels is their low mechanical strength (10 kPa) and brittleness, which limit their applications and make them unpredictable when subjected to stresses exceeding this low mechanical strength. In such cases, the aerogel needs to be protected from environmental stresses (stress, impact, humidity).

Another, less "useful", but equally interesting application is the use of aerogels as a real model medium...