Sol gel

Sol gel is an inorganic, catalytic silicon oxide gel, used for its negative tone photosensitive properties. It can be used in ceramics manufacturing processes, as a mold which can be "washed away", also as a means of producing very thin films of metal oxide for various purposes, including a form which is a superior alternative to teflon.

To make sol gel, small particles called sols are formed in a solution, so that they link together in a plexus, or network. They are then polymerized using ultraviolet light. This method can be used to suspend particles at a very precise density and distribution.