The sol–gel technique enables processing of glasses and ceramics at low temperature in various desirable shapes, such as monoliths, films, fibers, or nanometer-sized powders. More importantly, the sol–gel technique makes it possible to combine and distribute organic molecules within inorganic oxide networks to form organic/inorganic hybrids. Such combinations form the basis for countless novel materials.

Besides abrasives, fibers, and antireflective coatings, other applications have reached the market, including catalysts, chromatography materials, aerogels, and several optical- and medical-related coatings and components. In the next five years other applications will be entering the marketplace.