Book excerpt: This book discusses the synthesis of catalytic materials with improved and tailored functionalities via the sol-gel method. Beginning with a general outline of traditional sol-gel chemistry, the book gradually explores surrounding topics, such as the formation of porous structures, while guiding the overall discussion toward the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts and focusing throughout on the structure-activity relationship in catalytic materials. Featuring several case studies covering major current industrial applications, the book is an ideal guide for researchers looking to tailor catalytic materials for a specific catalytic process and thus exploiting the versatility of the “traditional” sol-gel method.