Sol-gel particles comprising a reaction product of a sol-gel precursor, the reaction product comprising networked polymeric chains including silicon or a metal and at least one dopant substantially homogeneously dispersed in the reaction product of the sol-gel precursor. A method and system for producing the sol-gel particles are also disclosed.

Sol-gel particles comprising a reaction product of a sol-gel precursor, the reaction product comprising networked polymeric chains including silicon or a metal and at least one dopant substantially homogeneously dispersed in the reaction product of the sol-gel precursor. A method and system for producing the sol-gel particles are also disclosed.

A method comprising providing a sol comprising a solvent; contacting the sol with a precipitation initiator to initiate precipitation of the sol, wherein the precipitation initiator is different to the solvent; and applying the precipitating sol to a product. The methods of the invention may be used with sols comprising a solvent, a metal alkoxide, and optionally a biopolymer and/or a catalyst, with alkoxides comprising metals, organically modified alkoxides comprising metals, alkoxides comprising metalloids, and organically modified alkoxides comprising metalloids all being encompassed by the term ‘metal alkoxide’. Also disclosed is an apparatus for use in the method comprising a first storage vessel; a second storage vessel; one or more pumps; and one or more delivery means.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a silica aerogel blanket, the method comprising recovering a supercritical waste liquid generated after performing a step of supercritical drying, neutralizing the recovered supercritical waste liquid by adding an acid thereto for recycling, and reusing the recycled supercritical waste liquid, and a silica aerogel blanket produced thereby.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a silica aerogel blanket, the method comprising recovering a supercritical waste liquid generated after performing a step of supercritical drying, neutralizing the recovered supercritical waste liquid by adding an acid thereto for recycling, and reusing the recycled supercritical waste liquid, and a silica aerogel blanket produced thereby.

A method for producing a silica sol containing a small amount of metal impurities and in which colloidal silica having an elongated particle shape dispersed in a solvent, includes: preparing a raw material liquid by adding a compound as an anion source selected from inorganic acids, organic acids, and their ammonium salts, and ammonia to a colloidal aqueous solution of activated silica having an SiO.sub.2 concentration of 1 to 6% by mass and a pH of 2 to 5 so that the mass ratio of the compound to SiO.sub.2 is 3.0 to 7.0%; and heating the raw material liquid at 80 to 200 C. for 0.5 to 20 hours. The elongated colloidal silica particles exhibit a D.sub.L/D.sub.B ratio of 2.5 or more. D.sub.L is an average particle diameter as measured by the dynamic light scattering method. D.sub.B is a primary particle diameter as measured by the nitrogen gas adsorption method.

A method for producing a silica sol containing a small amount of metal impurities and wherein colloidal silica having an elongated particle shape is dispersed in a solvent, by addition of a compound as an anion source and ammonia as an alkali source and heating of the resultant mixture at a predetermined temperature, includes the following steps: (a) preparing a raw material liquid by adding at least one compound as an anion source selected from the group of inorganic acids, organic acids, and ammonium salts of these acids, and ammonia to a silica sol as a raw material having SiO.sub.2 of 1% by mass to 30% by mass and a pH of 2 to 5 so the mass ratio of the compound to SiO.sub.2 is 0.5% to 1.9%; and (b) heating the raw material liquid prepared in step (a) at 80 C. to 200 C. for 0.5 hours to 20 hours.

An insulating composition containing silica particles, a resin, and a curing agent, wherein: when an aqueous solution of the silica particles having an SiO.sub.2 concentration of 3.8% by mass is heated at 121 C. for 20 hours, the amount of Na ions eluted from the silica particles is 40 ppm/SiO.sub.2 or less, especially, wherein the amount of Na ions eluted from the silica particles after the heating may be 5-38 ppm/SiO.sub.2, and, the silica particles may contain a polyvalent metal oxide so the ratio by mole of a polyvalent metal M to Si is 0.001-0.02; the mass ratio of Na.sub.2O/SiO.sub.2 in the silica particles may be 700-1,300 ppm; and the silica particles may have, on the surfaces thereof, a layer having a thickness of 0.1-1.5 nm and an Na.sub.2O/SiO.sub.2 mass ratio of 10-400 ppm, and may have an average particle diameter of 5-40 nm.

Embodiments of the invention include silica fiber compositions useful for treatment of animal wounds and tissue, as well as for other applications in industry. The fiber compositions may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.

A method for producing a silica sol containing a small amount of metal impurities and in which colloidal silica having an elongated particle shape dispersed in a solvent, includes: preparing a raw material liquid by adding a compound as an anion source selected from inorganic acids, organic acids, and their ammonium salts, and ammonia to a colloidal aqueous solution of activated silica having an SiO.sub.2 concentration of 1 to 6% by mass and a pH of 2 to 5 so that the mass ratio of the compound to SiO.sub.2 is 3.0 to 7.0%; and heating the raw material liquid at 80 to 200 C. for 0.5 to 20 hours. The elongated colloidal silica particles exhibit a D.sub.L/D.sub.B ratio of 2.5 or more. D.sub.L is an average particle diameter as measured by the dynamic light scattering method. D.sub.B is a primary particle diameter as measured by the nitrogen gas adsorption method.