FUNCTIONAL OPTICAL MATERIALS BASED ON AEROGELS

Sol-chemistry is an efficient physico-chemical method for the preparation of porous glassy or nanocrystalline materials with tailored electrical, thermal or optical properties. This paper focuses on the dependence preparation–structure-properties of hydrophobic silica aerogel granules, powders and composites with a potential application as optical materials. Using the technique of subcritical preparation of silica aerogel powders, multicolour emitting composites containing Eu(phen)2(NO3 )3 or Tb(phen)2(NO3 )3 nanocrystals are obtained and characterized with luminescence spectroscopy, quantum yield determination and texture measurements. A dependence of the luminescence quantum yield on the degree of hydrophobicity α of the silica aerogel powders is described.