Review of aerogel-based materials in biomedical applications

Abstract

Due to their many excellent properties, aerogels attract much interest in various applications, ranging from construction to medicine. Over the last decades, their potential was practically exploited only in non-medical fields of use, although many aerogel materials, either organic, inorganic or hybrid, were proven biocompatible. Some aerogel compositions have been patented at the verge of the millennium, but the clinical use of aerogels remains very limited. This review intends to shed some more light in regard to their potential in biomedical applications as can be deduced from the more recent progressive research of their capabilities in regard to different compositions. The review covers many recent studies, but includes older research that significantly affected the development of aerogel-based materials over the years, as well. After a short introduction, covering the common aerogel properties and their possible classification options, the review is structured based on their different possible biomedical applications. Finally, it focuses on the potential of aerogels in regenerative medicine.