6. Conclusion

This general overview of the chemistry and physical chemistry of sol-gel materials gives an idea of the modularity of processes and the diversity of applications. The main advantage of "soft chemistry" is the possibility of permanently varying the composition of gels, xerogels and glasses, while maintaining complete homogeneity if necessary, all with much gentler operating conditions than in traditional oxide chemistry. What's more, in many cases, the nano- or mesostructure of the materials can also be modulated, opening up a very wide range of possibilities.

Last but not least, the field of application of sol-gel chemistry is becoming ever wider, touching on areas involving physics, biology... and even, in some cases, space technology or high-pressure resistant materials.