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Electrospinning of polymer nanofibers has been studied extensively and has shown to be possible via stable, reproducible and controllable processes. Studies on ceramic nanofibers are less comprehensive. Recently, our group successfully produced ceramic silica nanofibers without the need of a sacrificing polymer.1-3 In contrast to other work, in which a well-spinnable organic polymer is mixed with a metal oxide precursors to facilitate the electrospinning process, direct electrospinning of a sol-gel solution of a tetraorthosilicate (TEOS) precursor eliminates the need for a postproduction removal of the organic polymer component. This results in dense silica nanofibers with superior mechanical properties, without a rough and uneven surface of the fibers. In addition, it offers the benefits of a simple, more tunable material design. This opens up the application field of electrospun ceramic membranes. Ceramic materials are hard and inert and are therefore known for their excellent properties such as high temperature resistance and chemical inertness. These promising characteristics allow ceramic nanofibers to be used for various applications such as biological applications, filtration, composites, catalysis, etc. In this work, we show the application of these silica nanofibrous membranes as catalytic carrier material for purifications and catalytic conversion reactions. The use of dip-coating techniques for the application of nanoparticles (e.g., TiO2, metal organic frameworks) allows for a homogeneous and stable distribution, resulting in a reusable heterogeneous catalyst.4 Moreover, the use of nanofibrous membranes as support over the standalone nanoparticles on their own allows for a significant reduction in pressure build-up, combined with a more straightforward implementation in pilot setups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]