Thermal and optical properties optimization of ultra-high transparent silica aerogels through catalysts and TMOS refinement

Transparent silica aerogels significantly enhanced solar energy collection by allowing more sunlight penetration while reducing radiation scattering. This work investigated how catalyst type, catalyst concentration, and precursor concentration influenced the structural, optical, and thermal properties of silica aerogels. By optimizing these parameters, a balance between rapid hydrolysis and polymerization was achieved, resulting in a uniform porous structure with reduced scattering and improved transparency. The aerogels demonstrated a high solar-weighted transmittance (83 %) and low thermal conductivity (0.023 W/(m·K)), which remained stable after hydrophobic treatment. These findings provided valuable insights into optimizing silica aerogels for solar photothermal applications.