1 This is final peer-reviewed manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 504, 48–57, 2017, DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2017.05.036 Role of Pickering stabilization and bulk gelation for the preparation and properties of solid silica foams I. Lesov, 1 S. Tcholakova, 1* M. Kovadjieva, 1 T. Saison, 2 M. Lamblet, 2 N. Denkov 1 1 Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University 1 J. Bouchier Ave.,1164 Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Saint-Gobain Recherche 39 Quai Lucien Lefranc, 93300 Aubervilliers, France *Corresponding author: Prof. Slavka Tcholakova Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University 1 James Bouchier Ave., 1164 Sofia Bulgaria Phone: (+359-2) 962 5310 Fax: (+359-2) 962 5643 E-mail: SC@LCPE.UNI-SOFIA.BG Other authors: Ivan Lesov email: lesov@lcpe.uni-sofia.bg Monika Kovadzhieva email: mk@lcpe.uni-sofia.bg Tamar Saison email: tamar.saison@saint-gobain.com Marie Lamblet email: marie.lamblet@saint-gobain.com Nikolai Denkov email: nd@lcpe.uni-sofia.bg Keywords: Foams, Pickering stabilization, Ostwald ripening, pore size, mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, porous materials, porous ceramics