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In the case of silica-based glass produced using the sol-gel method, it is necessary to burn off residual organic components by subjecting the material to high-temperature processing at temperatures of 600°C or higher during the manufacturing process, and this has been an issue due to the energy loss and increased complexity of the process. In this study, we found that the heat treatment temperature could be lowered by more than 200°C by using the catalytic action of copper ions. As a result, it is now possible to synthesize silica-based glass materials at temperatures below 400°C, and this is expected to not only reduce the environmental burden, but also greatly expand the application of silica-based glass materials, such as the fabrication of silica-based glass objects using 3D printing, which is in high demand.
The results were obtained through joint research with Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., led by Mr. Oura, a second-year master’s student.Oura N., Fukatsu A., Okada K., Kamitani K., Takhashi M.,  Lowering the combustion temperature of organic components in organosiloxane gels by an incorporation of copper ions. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-025-06718-4