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Probing the Sol to Gel Transition in the Gel Structure

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The Sol-to-Gel Transition

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Abstract

The sol to gel transition in a bulk gel is a macroscopic event which can be followed using different analytical methods, and even if an accurate determination of the gelation time is always a difficult task, it is possible to obtain reliable measures especially by a combination of several techniques. The liquid phase of the gel remains, even after gelation, a peculiar chemical environment with a specific microviscosity. This evolves with drying, while diffusion inside the pores is always possible. The methods used to probe this microenvironment and sol-gel transition in thin films are the subject of this chapter.

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Innocenzi, P. (2019). Probing the Sol to Gel Transition in the Gel Structure. In: The Sol-to-Gel Transition. SpringerBriefs in Materials. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20030-5_7

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