Centre for Sol-Gel Coatings

The main objective of the Centre is to develop inorganic and organic inorganic hybrid nanocomposite coatings generated by sol-gel process.Nanotechnology is one of the key technologies of the 21st century and sol-gel processing is one of the different wet chemical methods that can create nano-crystalline or nano-scaled amorphous materials. Sol-gel method has about three decade long history, starting with processing of oxide materials including glass and ceramics in early days to preparation of non-oxides as well in the recent times. Processing of organic-inorganic hybrid nano-composite materials using this technique is now an active field of research. The advantage of an organic-inorganic hybrid is that it can favorably bring synergy between the dissimilar properties of organic and inorganic components in a single material. Sol-gel derived hybrid nano-composite material synthesis involves the poly-condensation of organically modified silanes along with silicon or metal alk-oxides.