In praise of pores

Highly porous structures are found extensively in the natural world (1), because their design enables the efficient optimization of characteristics such as the strength-to-density and stiffness-to-density ratios. Moreover, synthetic porous ceramics have advantages over metallic or polymeric components, especially when resistance to high-temperature or corrosive environments or compatibility with biological materials is required. Recent progress in fabrication procedures has considerably widened the range of morphologies and properties achievable for porous ceramics, resulting in their use in an ever-expanding range of applications, including catalyst supports and chemical reactors (2), biomedical tracking and delivery platforms (3), electrodes, insulators, and heat exchangers (4). The introduction of nanopores in ceramics has opened possibilities for the development of smart devices such as photoactivated sensors and switches and drug delivery capsules.