Thermal treatment of SiO2-aerogel in inert atmosphere, in contrary to oxidizing atmosphere, yields a series of gas products with great range of mole masses (12–154 g mol–1) and every product has specific way of evolving. These substances are represented by CO, CO2, CH4, CH3OH, C2H6, C2H4 and aromates. Part of evolving products, which are formed during catalytic condensation, is trapped under the surface and after carbonisation it causes opacity of surface layer of aerogel.