A method of forming a silica aerogel, the method comprising the steps of: forming a first solution comprising an alkoxide wherein the alkoxide is an alkoxysilane, tetraethyl orthosilicate or tetramethyl orthosilicate, a Lewis acid wherein the Lewis acid is aluminium chloride hexahydrate or aqueous hydrochloric acid and a coupling agent wherein the coupling agent is 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, vinyltrimethoxysilane or allyltrimethoxysilane; forming a second solution comprising a radical photoinitiator wherein the radical photoinitiator is Eosin Y, Eosin B or Eosin Y disodium salt, a co-initiator wherein the co-initiator is a tertiary amine, wherein the tertiary amine co-initiator is N-methyldiethanolamine, N-ethyldiethanolamine or ammonium hydroxide and monomers wherein the monomers are 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, vinyl acrylate, vinyl methacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, glycerol 1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, tert-butyl acrylate, tris(2-acryloyloxyethyl) isocyanurate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, di(trimethylolpropane) tetraacrylate, glycerol propoxylate (1PO/OH) triacrylate, bisphenol A ethoxylate diacrylate, 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine, glycerol 1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate, trimethylolpropane propoxylate triacrylate or pentaerythritol triacrylate; mixing the first solution and the second solution to form a pre-gelation mixture; heating the pre-gelation mixture by applying microwave radiation to form a heated pre-gelation mixture; and, applying visible laser light to the heated pre-gelation mixture to form an aerogel. forming a first solution comprising an alkoxide wherein the alkoxide is an alkoxysilane, tetraethyl orthosilicate or tetramethyl orthosilicate, a Lewis acid wherein the Lewis acid is aluminium chloride hexahydrate or aqueous hydrochloric acid and a coupling agent wherein the coupling agent is 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate, vinyltrimethoxysilane or allyltrimethoxysilane; forming a second solution comprising a radical photoinitiator wherein the radical photoinitiator is Eosin Y, Eosin B or Eosin Y disodium salt, a co-initiator wherein the co-initiator is a tertiary amine, wherein the tertiary amine co-initiator is N-methyldiethanolamine, N-ethyldiethanolamine or ammonium hydroxide and monomers wherein the monomers are 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, vinyl acrylate, vinyl methacrylate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, glycerol 1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate, styrene, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, tert-butyl acrylate, tris(2-acryloyloxyethyl) isocyanurate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, di(trimethylolpropane) tetraacrylate, glycerol propoxylate (1PO/OH) triacrylate, bisphenol A ethoxylate diacrylate, 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine, glycerol 1,3-diglycerolate diacrylate, trimethylolpropane propoxylate triacrylate or pentaerythritol triacrylate; mixing the first solution and the second solution to form a pre-gelation mixture; heating the pre-gelation mixture by applying microwave radiation to form a heated pre-gelation mixture; and, applying visible laser light to the heated pre-gelation mixture to form an aerogel.