A method for producing a micron-size spherical silica aerogel having a selectable or controllable average particle size, the method includes producing a surface-modified silica sol by adding a first organosilane compound to a aqueous acid-silica sol, which comprises an inorganic acid and a water glass solution, with a pH less than 3, dispersive mixing a non-polar organic solvent, a second organosilane compound, and the surface-modified silica sol, at a selected stilling rate which is inversely related to an average particle size, without adding any surfactant or dispersant, a micron-size spherical silica hydrogel and further a hydrophobic micron-size spherical silica gel are then produced. Following by drying or stirring the hydrophobic micron-size spherical silica gel to obtain a controllable micron-size silica aero-gel in a spherical and powder forms, respectively.

A method for producing a micron-size spherical silica aerogel having a selectable or controllable average particle size, the method includes producing a surface-modified silica sol by adding a first organosilane compound to a aqueous acid-silica sol, which comprises an inorganic acid and a water glass solution, with a pH less than 3, dispersive mixing a non-polar organic solvent, a second organosilane compound, and the surface-modified silica sol, at a selected stilling rate which is inversely related to an average particle size, without adding any surfactant or dispersant, a micron-size spherical silica hydrogel and further a hydrophobic micron-size spherical silica gel are then produced. Following by drying or stirring the hydrophobic micron-size spherical silica gel to obtain a controllable micron-size silica aero-gel in a spherical and powder forms, respectively.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatuses and methods, in which solation of a mixed liquid can be allowed to progress under sufficiently controlled conditions with the mixed liquid being effectively cooled, to thereby industrially produce a homogeneous sol, and then sol-gel transition with a phase separation process can be induced, to produce a gel having a co-continuous structure of a skeleton phase and a solvent phase and to produce a silica porous body having macropores. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sol producing apparatus (1) that produces a sol for use in production of a silica porous body having macropores, the sol producing apparatus (1) including a mixing section (11) that prepares a mixed liquid (M) containing a silica precursor, a catalyst and a macropore forming agent, a first feeding section (12) that feeds the silica precursor to the mixing section (11), a second feeding section (13A) that feeds the catalyst and the macropore forming agent in admixture with each other, to the mixing section (11), a discharging pipe (14) that discharges the mixed liquid (M) from the mixing section (11), and a cooling section (15) that cools the mixed liquid (M) flowing through the discharging pipe (14), to 35? C. or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatuses and methods, in which solation of a mixed liquid can be allowed to progress under sufficiently controlled conditions with the mixed liquid being effectively cooled, to thereby industrially produce a homogeneous sol, and then sol-gel transition with a phase separation process can be induced, to produce a gel having a co-continuous structure of a skeleton phase and a solvent phase and to produce a silica porous body having macropores. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sol producing apparatus (1) that produces a sol for use in production of a silica porous body having macropores, the sol producing apparatus (1) including a mixing section (11) that prepares a mixed liquid (M) containing a silica precursor, a catalyst and a macropore forming agent, a first feeding section (12) that feeds the silica precursor to the mixing section (11), a second feeding section (13A) that feeds the catalyst and the macropore forming agent in admixture with each other, to the mixing section (11), a discharging pipe (14) that discharges the mixed liquid (M) from the mixing section (11), and a cooling section (15) that cools the mixed liquid (M) flowing through the discharging pipe (14), to 35? C. or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of recovering a metal and/or a metal ion from a liquid to be treated, by use of a monolith adsorbent, and a novel method of regenerating an adsorbent used in the method of recovering a metal and/or a metal ion from a liquid to be treated, and, in order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a method of recovering a metal and/or a metal ion, the method including the following steps of: (1) preparing for a solution containing a metal and/or a metal ion; (2) preparing for an adsorbent having a co-continuous structure formed by: a ceramic skeleton including mesopores; and macropores, wherein a surface of the ceramic skeleton is modified by a metal- and/or metal ion-adsorbable functional group, a most frequent pore diameter of the macropores before modification by the functional group is 0.20 ?m or more and 4.0 ?m or less, and a most frequent pore diameter of the mesopores before modification by the functional group is 2.0 nm or more and 50 nm or less; (3) contacting the solution and the adsorbent; (4) contacting the adsorbent subjected to step (3) and an acidic solution; and (5) recovering the metal and/or the metal ion from the acidic solution subjected to step (4).

An object of the present invention is to provide a monolith columnar body capable of satisfying both adsorption performance and durability, a monolith adsorbent using the monolith columnar body, and a method of removing a metal and/or a metal ion from a liquid to be treated, with the monolith adsorbent, and, in order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a columnar body (1) having a co-continuous structure formed by: a ceramic skeleton (2) including mesopores (4); and macropores (3), wherein an average diameter of the columnar body (1) is 1.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, wherein a most frequent pore diameter of the macropores (3) is 0.20 ?m or more and 4.0 ?m or less, and wherein a most frequent pore diameter of the mesopores (4) is 2.0 nm or more and 50 nm or less.

An object of the present invention is to provide a monolith columnar body capable of satisfying both adsorption performance and durability, a monolith adsorbent using the monolith columnar body, and a method of removing a metal and/or a metal ion from a liquid to be treated, with the monolith adsorbent, and, in order to achieve the object, the present invention provides a columnar body (1) having a co-continuous structure formed by: a ceramic skeleton (2) including mesopores (4); and macropores (3), wherein an average diameter of the columnar body (1) is 1.5 mm or more and 20 mm or less, wherein a most frequent pore diameter of the macropores (3) is 0.20 ?m or more and 4.0 ?m or less, and wherein a most frequent pore diameter of the mesopores (4) is 2.0 nm or more and 50 nm or less.

Disclosed are depot formulations comprising a biodegradable silica hydrogel composite, wherein the hydrogel composite comprises (i) a silica hydrogel; and (ii) a plurality of microparticles comprising silica and an oligopeptide or a peptidomimetic compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The depot formulations described herein provide sustained, long-term release of the active pharmaceutical compound. The depot formulations may be implanted in the eye and are useful for treating ocular diseases. The plurality of microparticles comprising silica and an oligopeptide or a peptidomimetic compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof can be prepared using a continuous flow process.

Method of enhancing the cellular functions characterized by the inclusion of at least the process, wherein the aqueous solution containing the cells in the low temperature sol state, in an aqueous solution that exhibits thermoreversible sol-gel transition of being a sol at low temperatures and gel at high temperatures containing at least a hydrogel-forming polymer, bringing the solution containing the to a high temperature gel and then culturing the cells under microgravity.

Method of enhancing the cellular functions characterized by the inclusion of at least the process, wherein the aqueous solution containing the cells in the low temperature sol state, in an aqueous solution that exhibits thermoreversible sol-gel transition of being a sol at low temperatures and gel at high temperatures containing at least a hydrogel-forming polymer, bringing the solution containing the to a high temperature gel and then culturing the cells under microgravity.