Electrically conductive oxide aerogels: new materials in electrochemistry

Aerogels, which are nanoscale mesoporous materials of low density and high surface area, have been well studied as thermal insulators, heterogeneous c atalysts, and novel particle or radiation detectors. Now, electrically cond ucting oxide aerogels are being explored as new materials in electrochemist ry and for their innate ability to amplify the nature of the surfaces of te chnologically relevant conducting oxides in batteries, ultracapacitors, and fuel cells. Recent results are reviewed in which the mixed electron- and c ation-conducting transition metal oxides of vanadium, molybdenum, ruthenium , and manganese have been prepared as low density, highly porous, and high surface area aerogels and then studied as charge-storage electrode material s. These materials challenge the standard ways in which electrochemically a ctive oxides are conceived, studied, and used.