Xiaodong Shen is chair professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Nanjing Tech University, where he presently a leader of Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University of Ministry of Education of China. He received his PhD in 1994 from Nanjing University of Chemical Technology. His current research field is inorganic functional composite materials. He received the second prize for the National Scientific and Technological Progress, the first prize for Jiangsu Province Science and Technology Progress, etc.Sheng Cui is the Vice-Dean of the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Nanjing Tech University, China. Having obtained his academic degrees from Nanjing Tech University, he was a visiting scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. Professor Cui has been working on aerogel materials for 14 years, during which time he has authored over 200 academic papers and over 50 national patents, and has received numerous scientific awards, including the Technological Invention Award of the Ministry of Education second prize. He also teaches specialized courses for undergraduate and master's students. In addition, he is also the vice-president of the aerogel branch of the China Insulation and Energy Saving Materials Association and has organized three consecutive sino-international symposiums on aerogel.

• Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Principle of aerogels 1.1.1 Overview1.1.2 Concepts1.1.3 Synthesis1.1.4 Structures1.1.5 Properties Chapter 2 Silica aerogel 2.1 Synthesis and characterization of silica aerogel 2.1.1 Precursors and solvents2.1.2 Catalysis2.1.3 Wet gel2.1.4 Aging2.1.5 Supercritical drying2.1.6 Characterization of silica aerogel2.1.7 Thermal insulation performance2.2 Fiber reinforced silica aerogel composites 2.2.1 Process parameters2.2.2 Effect of short fiber on the properties of aerogel composites2.2.3 Effect of fiber mat on the properties of aerogel composites2.3 Opacifier modified silica aerogels 2.3.1 Process parameters2.3.2 Incorporation methods of opacifiers 2.3.3 Contents of opacifiers 2.3.4 Kinds of opacifiers2.3.5 ApplicationsChapter 3 Functionalization and adsorption performance of silica aerogel 3.1 Amine functionalized silica aerogels for CO2 adsorption 3.1.1 Background3.1.2 CO2 capture techniques3.1.3 Classification of amine functionalized sorbents3.1.4 Amine hybrid silica aerogel3.1.5 ZrO2 and TiO2-doped amine hybrid silica aerogels3.1.6 Amine hybrid RF/SiO2 aerogel3.1.7 Amine grafted silica aerogel microspheres3.1.8 Amine-modified silica aerogel from rice husk ash for CO2 adsorption3.2 Amine functionalized silica aerogels for heavy metal ions adsorption 3.2.1 Cu2+3.2.2 Cr3+3.2.3 Others3.3 Hydrophobic silica aerogels for organics adsorption 3.3.1 Alkanes3.3.2 Benzene organics 3.3.3 Nitro organics3.3.4 Others 3.4 Superhydrophilic silica aerogels for ammonia adsorptionChapter 4 Metal oxide aerogels4.1 Alumina aerogel 4.1.1 Synthesis of alumina aerogel4.1.2 Properties of alumina aerogel4.1.3 Stability of alumina aerogel4.2 Zirconia aerogel 4.2.1 Synthesis and structure of zirconia aerogel4.2.2 Preparation of fiber reinforced zirconia aerogel4.2.3 Thermal and mechanical properties of zirconia-based composite aerogel4.3 Titania-based aerogels 4.3.1 Titania aerogel4.3.2 Silica/titania aerogel4.3.3 Calcium titanite aerogel4.4 Iron oxide aerogel 4.4.1 Preparation of iron oxide aerogel microspheres 4.4.2 Drug release behaviors4.4.3 In vivo tumor inhibition analysis Chapter 5 Carbide aerogels 5.1 Overview5.2 SiC aerogel 5.2.1 Introduction 5.2.2 Preparation and characterization of silicon carbide aerogel5.2.3 Structural evolution of silicon carbide aerogel during the preparation5.2.4 Formation mechanism of silicon carbide aerogel5.2.5 Fiber reinforced silicon carbide aerogel5.3 B4C aerogel 5.3.1 Introduction5.3.1 Preparation and characterizations of B4C aerogel5.3.3 Temperature resistance and thermal insulation performance5.4 ZrC aerogel 5.4.1 Introduction5.4.2 Preparation and characterizations of ZrC aerogel5.4.3 Temperature resistance and thermal insulation performance5.5 C/AlN aerogel 5.5.1 Introduction5.5.2 Preparation and characterizations of C/AlN aerogel5.5.3 Temperature resistance and thermal insulation performanceChapter 6 Polyimide aerogel (Ya Zhong)6.1 Preparation methods 6.1.1 Two-step method6.1.2 One-step method6.2 Carboxyl-functionalized polyimide aerogel6.2.1 Synthesis and characterization6.2.2 CO2 adsorption performance6.3 Amide-containing polyimide aerogel6.3.1 Synthesis and characterization6.3.2 Properties6.4 ODA/DABA copolymerized polyimide aerogel6.4.1 Synthesis and characterization6.4.2 Properties6.5 Polyimide aerogel for catalysis6.5.1 Synthesis and characterization6.5.2 Properties6.6 Polyimide aerogel for sewage treatment6.6.1 Synthesis and characterization6.6.2 PropertiesChapter 7 Cellulose aerogel 7.1 Overview7.2 Preparation of cellulose aerogel7.2.1 Introduction7.2.2 Preparation and factors affected the properties of cellulose aerogels7.2.3 Influence of cellulose dissolution process on properties7.3 Cellulose aerogel for copper ion adsorption7.3.1 Introduction7.3.2 Cellulose aerogel for adsorption modification7.3.3 Mechanisms and performance of copper ion adsorption7.4 Cellulose-SiO2 aerogel for copper ion adsorption7.4.1 Introduction7.4.2 Mechanisms of metal ion adsorption7.4.3 Adsorption properties of Cellulose-SiO2 aerogels on copper ions7.5 Cellulose nanofiber montmorillonite composite aerogel for heavy metal ions adsorption 7.5.1 Introduction7.5.2 Preparation of cellulose nanofibers7.5.3 Adsorption properties of CNF-MMT aerogels on heavy ions7.6 Hydrophobic cellulose aerogel for oil adsorption7.6.1 Introduction 7.6.2 Hydrophobic modification of cellulose aerogel7.6.3 Adsorption properties of cellulose aerogels on oilChapter 8 Aerogel-based photocatalysts and electrocatalysts 8.1 Overview8.2 ZnFe2O4 aerogel based photocatalyst for Cr6+ degradation8.2.1 Introduction8.2.2 Preparation and characterizations of ZnFe2O4 based aerogel 8.2.3 Cr6+ degradation performance and its mechanism8.3 TiO2 based aerogel based photocatalyst for CO2 reduction8.3.1 Introduction8.3.2 Preparation and characterizations of Ce-doped TiO2 aerogel 8.3.3 CO2 photoreduction performance and its mechanism8.4 Ni/Fe oxyhydroxide anchored N-doped carbon aerogel for electrochemical OER 8.4.1 Introduction8.4.2 Preparation and characterizations of NiFeOx(OH)y @N-doped carbon aerogel8.4.3 OER performance and its mechanism8.5 Co/Fe oxyhydroxide anchored graphene aerogel for electrochemical OER 8.5.1 Introduction8.5.2 Preparation and characterizations of CoFeOx(OH)y@graphene aerogel8.5.3 OER performance and its mechanism8.6 Pd3Cu metal-based aerogel for electrochemical ORR8.6.1 Introduction8.6.2 Preparation and characterizations of Pd3Cu aerogel8.6.3 ORR performance and its mechanismChapter 9 Graphene-based aerogels for microwave absorption 9.1 Overview9.2 Pure graphene aerogels9.2.1 Introduction9.2.2 Pore structure regulation strategy9.2.3 Microwave absorption performance9.3 Heteroatoms doped graphene aerogels9.3.1 Introduction9.3.2 Heteroatoms doping strategy9.3.3 Microwave absorption performance9.4 Magnetic graphene aerogels9.4.1 Introduction9.4.2 MOFs induced gelation strategy9.4.3 Microwave absorption performance9.5 Multifunctional graphene aerogels9.5.1 Introduction9.5.2 Host-guest strategy9.5.3 Mechanical and hydrophobic properties9.5.4 Thermal insulation performance9.5.5 Microwave absorption performanceChapter 10 Current industrial challenges and future perspectives10.1 Industrial applications of aerogels 10.1.1 Thermal insulation 10.1.2 Sound absorption10.1.3 Optical application10.1.4 Electrical application10.1.5 Catalysis10.1.6 Environmental application10.1.7 Other applications10.2 Perspectives of Aerogel Technology10.2.1 Cost reduction in manufacturing10.2.2 Improving thermal resistance performance10.2.3 Improving mechanical properties10.2.4 Exploration of novel functions and applications