Inorganic aerogels: multifunctional nanostructured materials for advanced applications

Silica aerogels have emerged as a revolutionary class of nanostructured materials, offering unparalleled properties including ultra-low density (0.003–0.5 g/cm 3 ), exceptional thermal insulation (0.012–0.020 W/(m·K)), and superior acoustic attenuation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in silica aerogel technology, focusing on their optimization and applications in construction, thermal management, acoustic engineering, and energy storage. Through critical analysis of structure-property relationships, literature studies have demonstrated how pore architecture, surface chemistry, and composite integration dictate performance in targeted applications. In building technologies, aerogel-enhanced systems reduce thermal bridging by up to 60%, while granular formulations achieve sound absorption coefficients of 0.95 across specific frequency ranges. The study also examines scalable synthesis methods, comparing ambient pressure drying with supercritical processing for industrial adoption. With their unique combination of sustainability and high performance, silica aerogels present innovative solutions to global challenges in energy efficiency and environmental noise reduction. This review highlights their transformative potential as sustainable alternatives to conventional materials, providing actionable insights for both researchers and industry professionals seeking to implement these advanced materials in practical applications.