Aerogels are 3-D nanostructures of non-fluid colloidal interconnected porous networks consisting of loosely packed bonded particles that are expanded throughout its volume by gas and exhibit ultra-low density and high specific surface area. Aerogels are normally synthesized through a sol–gel method followed by a special drying technique such as supercritical drying or ambient pressure drying. The fascinating properties of aerogels like high surface area, open porous structure greatly influence the performances of energy conversion and storage devices and encourage the development of sustainable electrochemical devices. Therefore, this review describes on the applications of inorganic, organic and composite aerogel nanostructures to dye-sensitized solar cells, fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors accompanied by the significant steps involved in the synthesis, mechanism of network formation and various drying techniques.

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气凝胶：有望用于能量转换和存储应用的纳米结构材料

气凝胶是非流体胶体互连多孔网络的3-D纳米结构，由松散堆积的键合颗粒组成，这些颗粒被气体在整个体积中膨胀，并显示出超低密度和高比表面积。气凝胶通常通过溶胶-凝胶法合成，然后通过特殊的干燥技术（例如超临界干燥或环境压力干燥）合成。气凝胶的引人入胜的特性（例如高表面积，开放的多孔结构）极大地影响了能量转换和存储设备的性能，并鼓励发展可持续的电化学设备。因此，这篇综述描述了无机，有机和复合气凝胶纳米结构在染料敏化太阳能电池，燃料电池，