A method of producing a silica gel by hydrolyzing a silicon alkoxide and
subjecting the resulting hydrogel to a hydrothermal treatment
substantially without aging it is described. Also described in a silica
gel produced by such a method and a silica gel which has the following
characteristics:
(a) the pore volume is from 0.6 to 1.6 ml/g,
(b) the specific surface area is from 300 to 900 m.sup.2 /g,
(c) the mode diameter (Dmax) of pores is less than 20 nm,
(d) the volume of pores having diameters within .+-.20% of Dmax is at least
50% of the total pore volume,
(e) it is amorphous, and
(f) the content of metal impurities is at most 500 ppm.
