Material	Nanocomposites metal salts
	Generally made of a silica aerogel substrate, with nano particles and pores (which gives the name to the composite), and an additional material, which may also be larger. Additional materials are added to the silica sol before gelation, and must withstand the conditions encountered during aerogel formation (alcohol soaking and supercritical drying). Metal salts and carbon black are the most commonly used. The six pieces of aerogel shown on the large picture are mixed with: nickel (deep blue), copper (pale green), carbon and iron (black), iron oxide (orange) and organic compounds (the last two).
Category	Composites, Particulate composites
Processes	Sol-gel Supercritical drying (see aerogels)
Similar materials	Aerogels
References	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Photo	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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