Perspective Chapter: Functional Sol-Gel Based Coatings for Innovative and Sustainable Applications

Abstract

Alkoxysilanes represent a class of molecules widely employed to achieve the preparation of plenty of functional surfaces by easy, cost-effective and eco-friendly sol–gel methods. In this regard, the advancements of research activities include the proper design of film/patterns/brushes, by starting from opportune alkoxysilane and/or other metal/metalloid precursors, in order to obtain efficient innovative and homogenous functional surfaces showing implemented properties by means of the simple and eco-friendly sol–gel method. Therefore, in light of these aspects, the employment of opportune functional alkoxysilanes, either in combination with other nanofillers or molecules, is a key step for the design, and development of sol–gel based nanohybrid or nanocomposite coatings suitable for different surface properties implementation and applications, spanning from blue-growth sector to smart and technical textiles, from biomedicine to building and cultural heritages, from environmental remediation to catalysis. Some of the most relevant and explicative examples of these innovative and sustainable sol–gel based coatings will be described in this chapter.