Hydrophilic precursors

Hydrophobic precursors

Tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS)

Methyltrimethylorthosilicate

Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS)

Methyltriethylorthosilicate (MTES)

Sodium Silicate (Na₂SiO₃)

1) Aerogels?High Optical Transmission (>90%)

1) Aerogels-opaque

2) Density < 0.1 g/cm³

2) Density > 0.1 g/cm³

3) Hard and brittle

3) Soft and flexible