TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The diisocyanate or triisocyanate comprises hexamethylene diisocyanate oligomer or hexamethylene triisocyanate oligomer.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The gel comprises surfaces surrounding mesopores and macropores. The templating agent comprises surfactant. The expanding agent comprises hydrocarbon. The encapsulated layer comprises polymer containing monomer selected from diisocyanate, triisocyanate and polyisocyanate. The nanostructures comprise microscopic worm-like building blocks having mesopores and form macropores. The silica gel comprises mesoporous worm-like silica building blocks at least partially or completely coated with polymer, and nanostructures of silica at least partially or completely covered with polymer. The polymer comprises monomer selected from isocyanates, and hexamethylene diisocyanate oligomer. Preferred Method: The formation of silica gel further includes contacting surfaces surrounding mesopores and macropores with isocyanate-containing reagent and polymerizing coating into surfaces, and drying polymer coated gel. Preferred Properties: The macropores or mesopores are at least partially or completely coated with polymer. The yield strength is greater than 36 MPa at a strain of 0.02%. Preferred Composition: The polymer comprises 65-85 wt.% monolithic nanoencapsulated silica gel. EXAMPLE - A Pluronic P123(RTM: poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) tri-block copolymer) (4 g) was dissolved in 1 M aqueous solution of nitric acid (12 g) and 1,3,5-trimethylbezene under magnetic stirring for 30 minutes at room temperature. The samples were cooled to 0 degrees C for 30 minutes. A tetramethoxysilane (5.15 g) was added to each sample under vigorous stirring for 10 minutes at 0 degrees C. The resultant homogeneous solutions were poured into polypropylene molds (Wheaton polypropylene Omni-Vials, Part No. 225402, 1 cm in diameter). Molds were sealed with plastic cups and kept at 60 degrees C for gelation. The resulting wet gels were aged at 60 degrees C for 5 times the gelation time and were removed from molds into ethanol and obtained wet gel monoliths. The product was extracted, washed with acetone and dried with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) to yield native dry silica monoliths, or placed in solutions of diisocyanate in acetone.