NOVELTY - Powder and/or discrete gel particles are formed by passing a gas into an excited and/or unstable gas species forming mechanism, treating the gas, introducing a gaseous and/or liquid precursor (50a), and collecting resulting powder and/or discrete gelled particles.    USE - The invention is used for the formation of a powder and/or discrete gel particles of a compound comprising metallic oxide, a metalloid oxide, a mixed oxide, an organometallic oxide, an organometalloid oxide, an organomixed oxide resin, and/or an organic resin from respective organometallic precursor(s), and/or organometalloid precursor(s). The powder and/or discrete gel particles are used in optoelectronics, photonics, flexible electronics, optical devices, transparent electrically conductive films, displays and solar cells or as thermally conductive fillers, biotechnology, biosensors, detergents, filtration, and or separation applications. (All claimed)    ADVANTAGE - The invention uses precursors that are solvent-free and the resulting powder and/or discreet gel particle product is made in a solvent free environment, and avoids the need to have a spray drying step to deliver the silicone resins in a solid form.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Formation of a powder and/or discrete gel particles of a compound comprising metallic oxide, a metalloid oxide, a mixed oxide, an organometallic oxide, an organometalloid oxide, an organomixed oxide resin, and/or an organic resin from respective organometallic precursor(s), and/or organometalloid precursor(s), comprises:    (a) passing a gas into an excited and/or unstable gas species forming mechanism;    (b) treating the gas such that upon leaving the gas forming mechanism, the gas comprises excited and/or unstable gas species (1a) which are free of electrical charges at 10-500 degrees C;    (c) introducing a gaseous and/or liquid precursor which has not been subjected to previous steps into the excited and unstable gas species in a downstream region external to the gas forming mechanism, interaction between the precursor and the excited and unstable gas species resulting in the formation of a powder and/or discrete gelled particles; and    (d) collecting resulting powder and/or discrete gelled particles.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for an apparatus for making powders or discrete gel particles comprising:    (1) a generating mechanism for generating an excited and/or unstable gas species;    (2) introducing mechanism adapted to introduce a gaseous and/or liquid precursor into the excited and unstable gas species in a downstream region external to the means forming excited and/or unstable gas; and    (3) a collecting mechanism for collecting resulting powder and/or discrete gelled particles.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a detailed schematic view of the fluidized bed.    Excited and/or unstable gas species (1a)    Fluidized bed (20, 54)    Gaseous and/or liquid precursor (50a)    Gas removal/particle recovery system (52)