Design of nanosized structures in sol-gel derived porous solids. Applications in catalyst and inorganic membrane preparation

Recent advances in sol-gel processing, with the aim of porous ceramic oxide preparation and applications in catalysis and membrane separation, are reviewed, Recent results from our group in porous solid preparation are presented. Three topics of particular interest are reported which highlight the potential of sol-gel methods to tailor microporous and mesoporous structures in solids, and also the possibility to combine catalyst and ceramic membrane properties. The first one deals with the preparation and the characterisation of supported microporous layers (e.g. with pore diameter of less than 2 nm) and the applications linked to ceramic nanofilters, The second topic illustrates improvements expected in sol-gel processing of oxide catalysts and the possibility of forming supported catalytic layers and membranes, The last one has to do with the role of surface active agents in the control of the sol-to-gel transition and in the formation of tailor-made porous structures in oxide materials.