Sol-gel synthesis generally involves three main steps: hydrolysis, condensation, and drying. In the hydrolysis step, metal alkoxides or metal chlorides are mixed with water and an alcohol to form a sol, which is a colloidal suspension of particles. During the condensation step, these particles grow and link together, forming a three-dimensional network. The final drying step removes the remaining liquid, leaving behind a porous and often amorphous solid gel.
