During my professional career I developed a strong interest in sol-gel technology and worked
on both xerogel and aerogel systems. My fascination with aerogels has driven me to explore
their commercial potential which is currently an important component of my company's business
plan. Together with my co-workers I have also worked on the preparation of controlled PZT and
silica xerogels as well as thin film coatings of metals by the sol-gel technology These
experiences convinced me of the tremendous potentials of this technology. A conviction that is
shared by many scientists engineers and business leaders around the globe. Many sol-gel
derived products are already articles of commerce. However to expand the commercial potential
of sol-gel technology two challenges must be met: (1) the quality of sol-gel derived products
must continue to meet or exceed the quality of competing products (2) the production cost of
sol-gel products (specially aerogels) must continued to decline. A key to lowering the costs of
sol-gel products is finding inexpensive precursors.
