Doped sol-gel materials and method of manufacture utilizing reduced mixing temperatures

A method of forming a doped gel monolith, the method comprising:

• providing a first substance comprising a metal alkoxide;
• providing a second substance comprising a catalyst;
• providing a chemical comprised of a dopant, said chemical being substantially free of fluorine-containing alkoxide;
• forming a solution substantially free of fluorine-containing alkoxide and comprising the dopant, said forming comprising mixing the first substance and the second substance together, wherein the solution has a catalyst concentration greater than 3 mole percent of the solution;
• cooling the solution to a mixture temperature substantially below −25 degrees Celsius, wherein the solution has a significantly longer gelation time at the mixture temperature than at room temperature;
• filtering the solution to remove 0.6-micron-sized and larger particles from the solution;
• and
• allowing the solution to gel, thereby forming the doped gel monolith.