The preparation of this Handbook "Sol-Gel Techniques for Glass Producers and Users" was one of the main tasks of the Te.chnical Committee TC-16 (Sol-Gel) of the International Commission on Glass (ICG). The contributions have therefore been at purpose limited to coatings on glass and sol-gel materials wh ich can be transformed into glass products, and have been written by several former and present members as weil as by well-known scientists in the field. As today the research and development expand very fast toward the preparation, characterization and use of nanocomposite materials, some chapters have also been incorporated on the preparation of powders, hybrid materials and nanocomposites wh ich we believe will be key materials for the future, especially to coat glass substrates. The contributors were required not to write a mere scientific text but better a contribution giving the readers technological information, descriptions and characterizations of prototypes or products already on the market and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the sol-gel process in comparison to other methods. This is the reason why several reports are originating from scientists working in industries and development laboratories. The Handbook is divided in several chapters. The first one entitled "Wet Chem ical Technology" gives a summary of the basic principles of the sol-gel chemistry. As the most promising applications are related to coatings, the contributions of chapter 2 describe the various "Wet Chemical Coating Technologies" li'om glass cleaning to many deposition and post-coating treatment techniques as weil as patterning of coatings through direct 01' indirect techniques that became very important and for which the sol-gel processing is particularly weil adapted. Chapter 3 entitled "Bulk Glass Technologies" reports on the preparation of special glasses for different applications. Chapter 4 entitled "Coating and Materials Properties" describes the properties of the different coatings and the sol-gel materials. It has been subdivided in passive and active coatings as weil as gels, bulk materials, tibers and powders. The chapter also includes a section dedicated to the characterization techniques especially applied to sol-gel coatings and products. The readers will also find in the front matter an alphabetical list of all contributors along with their addresses and the titles ofthe articles ofwhich they are aLlthors 01' co-authors. Accessibility of material is of vital importance in a handbook. All aliicles have been linked by extensive references and a subject index (chapter 5). This has been compiled to assist the reader in locating all references to a particular topic. Entries may have up to two levels of headings. Where there is substantial discussion of the topic, the page number appeal' in bold type. Every effort has been made to make the index as comprehensive as possible and to standardize the terms used. The editors found also interesting to give the readers in an annex (chapter 6) general information on the field such as internet sites, the main conferences hold-ing sol-gel sessions, the available Proceedings, publications, reports, market studies as weil as the most important groups and companies which either develop products or distribute or manufacture the chemical precursors. Finally, the editors would like to thank Mrs. Martina Bonnard for collecting, processing and formauing all the contributions as weil as all individual authors for their contributions to this handbook
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