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The global community has supported the need for sustainable and renewable energy due to environmental concerns from the greenhouse gas emission. Biomass stands as one of the most abundant and predictable sources of renewable energy. Therefore, to explore the maximum potential of biomass, a detailed understanding of its embedded potential is needed. However, most experimental procedures require equipment that is highly sophisticated and expensive. The advancement of knowledge in artificial intelligence and blockchain technology is unlocking new potential prediction accuracy for biomass thermal properties. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is proving to be a vital tool that can enhance the research development in biomass energy prediction. This review highlights the stages in ANN modeling and the application of ANN in Biomass thermal value prediction. It identifies the research gaps in the current status of research on ANN as related to biomass and the direction for further study.

Endoproteases and exopeptidases occupy a pivotal position with respect to their commercial applications in food (e.g. as additives in whey protein processing) and, as additives in detergent, textile and a number of other industries. Food processing at low temperatures by cold-active enzymes has many advantages as it minimises undesirable chemical reactions as well as the risk of microbial contamination. Cold-active enzymes were found to display higher specific activity and catalytic efficiency resulting in lower quantities of enzyme required and significantly shortened processing times. On the other hand, industrial hydrolysis typically occur at elevated temperatures due to the faster reaction rates, increased substrate solubility and thermophilic biocatalysts are required to maintain reactions at very high temperatures. The aim of our work is to exploit structure-function relationships of extremophilic enzymes that give rise to novel industrially useful proteases. We are using the high-throughput capability of the Oxford Protein Purification Facility (OPPF) to study a number of structural modifications leading to protein extremophilic functional behaviour. Several strategies to effectively alter the thermal properties of commercial serine endoproteases and aminopeptidases are being tested including; i) site directed mutagenesis targeted to reduce quantity of prolines, salt bridges, S-S bridges, and hydrophobic clusters, and ii) iterative saturation mutagenesis relying on residues with low B-factors (local rigidity) according to available 3D structures are currently being implemented. Our recent results reveal the potential for an emerging universal mechanism to modify the thermostability of any given enzyme.

Polyesters based on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) are a new class of biobased polymers with enormous interest, both from a scientific and industrial perspective. The commercialization of these polymers is imminent as the pressure for a sustainable economy grows, and extensive worldwide research currently takes place on developing cost-competitive, renewable plastics. The most prevalent method for imparting these polymers with new properties is copolymerization, as many studies have been published over the last few years. This present review aims to summarize the trends in the synthesis of FDCA-based copolymers and to investigate the effectiveness of this approach in transforming them to a more versatile class of materials that could potentially be appropriate for a number of high-end and conventional applications.

The properties of building materials relevant to their thermal or aesthetical performance can be seriously influenced by the colonization of external surfaces by microorganisms. Deteriorati...

Microplastics have become one of the greatest environmental challenges worldwide. To turn this dramatic damage around, EU regulators now want to ensure that plastic itself is fully recyclable or biodegradable. The aim of the present work is to develop a biobased and biodegradable biocomposite based on commercial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and nanoclays, with the objective of achieving a reduction of rancid odour while avoiding any loss in thermomechanical properties, thus tackling two key disadvantages of PHAs. This research aims at completely characterising the structural, thermal and mechanical behaviour of the formulations developed, understanding the compatibility mechanisms in order to be able to assess the best commercial combinations for industrial applications in the packaging and automotive sectors. We report the development of nine nanobiocomposite materials based on three types of commercial PHA matrices: a linear poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), two copolymers based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-poly(4-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB-co-P4HB), and nanoclays, which represent a different polar behaviour. Dispersion achieved is highly relevant compared with literature results. Our findings show impressive mechanical enhancements, in particular for P3HB reinforced with sepiolite modified via aminosilanes.

Considering the needs of designing suitable food packaging that is able to decrease food losses while reducing the overall environmental impact of the food/packaging system, full biocomposites, i.e., both biodegradable and bio-sourced, are becoming serious candidates for food packaging applications. This article aims at reviewing the knowledge about the functional properties of vegetal fibers-based biocomposites, by considering the specific stakes relative to the food packaging application, i.e., the targeted functional properties, including mechanical properties and mass transfer properties (especially the permeability toward O2, CO2, and water vapor), the processability of materials using conventional equipments, the economical competitiveness, and the food safety. The first part summarizes the main characteristics of the constituents, i.e., matrices and fillers, and the processing routes to prepare biocomposites. In the second part, the ways to better understand and control the mass transfer properties in biocomposites will be deciphered by reminding the role of mass transfers in the food/packaging system and by focusing on how mass transfer properties are impacted by the material structure and mechanical properties. Food safety aspects will also be considered, by highlighting the possible undesirable migration from biocomposites toward food. This review will conclude on the main bottlenecks that should be resolved in order to make the use of biocomposites more viable for food packaging applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42528.

Surface treatment of natural fibre has been considered as a viable option to strengthen the compatibility of natural fibres with the matrix in order to evolve more sustainable composite materials. The advantages of natural fibres over synthetic fibres drove the attention to bio-based fibres with overall gain on environment and biodiversity. Part of the progress recorded in many published works includes, but not limited to, low density, biodegradable, enhanced surface treatment, increases mechanical and thermal properties. While one may not be able to dispute these successes, it is very important to appraise the performance of some of these treated natural fibres and come up with a clear-cut discussion on effect of some of these treatments. In this paper, the authors review progress made in the application of chemical and physical treatment on natural fibres with emphasis on compatibility of these chemicals on natural fibre on one the hand and matrix on the other hand. Part of the discussion in this work focuses on some reported works where chemically modified natural fibres show poor physical and thermal properties as against the untreated fibre. The implication of these variations were reported and further recommendations advanced. This article also x-trays a sustainable treatment approach with their evolving challenges. It is hoped that this paper will assist researchers in future works when considering all options in natural fibre treatments.

Materials science seeks the development of new materials with optimized characteristics. The union of various areas as chemistry, physics, nanotechnology, biology, and medicine catalyzes news materials. Smart materials react to external stimuli by modifying their chemical, mechanical, magnetic, optical, electrical, thermal properties. They have superior efficiency to the materials currently available and promise many advantages to their consumers. However, smart materials must be associated with sustainable technological progress. As a result of highly evolved technologies and intense laboratory research, their final characteristics must be connected with sustainable protocols. In addition to a significant difference associated with a wide application in various areas as textile industry, construction, medicine, drugs delivery, microorganisms’ detection, smart materials must not pollute from production to disposal, and more than that, they must seek compensation for the harmful effects of this evolution on nature. In this way, smart materials will be an excellent advantage for the future and the environment.

The pharmacokinetics profile of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the solid pharmaceutical dosage forms is largely dependent on the solid-state characteristics of the chemicals to understand the physicochemical properties by particle size, size distribution, surface area, solubility, stability, porosity, thermal properties, etc. The formation of salts, solvates, and polymorphs are the conventional strategies for altering the solid characteristics of pharmaceutical compounds, but they have their own limitations. Cocrystallization approach was established as an alternative method for tuning the solubility, permeability, and processability of APIs by introducing another compatible molecule/s into the crystal structure without affecting its therapeutic efficacy to successfully develop the formulation with the desired pharmacokinetic profile. In the present review, we have grossly focused on cocrystallization, particularly at different stages of development, from design to production. Furthermore, we have also discussed regulatory guidelines for pharmaceutical industries and challenges associated with the design, development and production of pharmaceutical cocrystals with commercially available cocrystal-based products.

Nitramine compounds are typical high-energy-density materials (HEDMs) and are widely used as explosives because of their superior explosive performance over conventional energetic materials. In this work, the thermal properties of 1-nitropiperidine (NPIP), 1,4-dinitropiperazine (DNP), and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) were investigated from quantum mechanics (QM) and reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the bond dissociation energy of the N-NO

The perspective of using recyclable and biobased materials in the vitrimeric concept is attractive, in view of the regulatory guidelines and pressing need to reduce CO2-emissions. The expansion of viable bio-based polymeric materials is gaining increased attention to achieve sustainable development goals. Although durability, cost, and performance still limit their real life applications, these limitations can be overcome through state-of-the-art bio-vitrimeric materials displaying thermoset like mechanical and thermal properties as well as thermoplastic like malleable and thus recyclable properties. Bio-derived chemicals based vitrimers can be of advantage, where material design is made from scratch, allowing to plan material properties in line with their future life cycle from the very beginning. This article emphasizes the current needs of vitrimers based on bio-derived chemicals, including their recycling, reprocessing, and self-healing properties, along with their advantages and potential obstacles from todays’ perspective. The article also identifies potential bio-derivatives as attractive building blocks for vitrimers because of their potential for sustainability.

18 páginas.-- 3 figuras.-- 2 tablas.- 188 referencias, The full biotechnological exploitation of thermostable enzymes in industrial processes is necessary for their commercial interest and industrious value. The heat-tolerant and heat-resistant enzymes are a key for efficient and cost-effective translation of substrates into useful products for commercial applications. The thermophilic, hyperthermophilic, and microorganisms adapted to extreme temperatures (i.e., low-temperature lovers or psychrophiles) are a rich source of thermostable enzymes with broad-ranging thermal properties, which have structural and functional stability to underpin a variety of technologies. These enzymes are under scrutiny for their great biotechnological potential. Temperature is one of the most critical parameters that shape microorganisms and their biomolecules for stability under harsh environmental conditions. This review describes in detail the sources of thermophiles and thermostable enzymes from prokaryotes and eukaryotes (microbial cell factories). Furthermore, the review critically examines perspectives to improve modern biocatalysts, its production and performance aiming to increase their value for biotechnology through higher standards, specificity, resistance, lowing costs, etc. These thermostable and thermally adapted extremophilic enzymes have been used in a wide range of industries that span all six enzyme classes. Thus, in particular, target of this review paper is to show the possibility of both high-value–low-volume (e.g., fine-chemical synthesis) and low-value–high-volume by-products (e.g., fuels) by minimizing changes to current industrial processes, This study received financial support from the University Grants Commission, New Delhi (Ministry of Human Resource Development, The Government of India) (File No. PDFSS-2013-14-ST-MAH-4350). Also, this study received funding from European program ERA-IB16-049 and Spanish Ministry (PCIN-2016-129).

Since environmental pollution caused by chemical and energy industries has increased for several decades, there is a social expectation that scientists and engineers try to design sustainable chemical processes, to generate less hazardous materials and more environmentally friendly sources of energy production. In this review the roles of Ionic Liquids (ILs) and IL based solvent systems as proposed alternative for conventional organic solvents are described. Since there are already many reviews on benefits of ILs, after a very brief review of ILs we focus mostly on aspects that are not covered in other reviews, in particular the known limits of these solvents. In addition, different methods to measure the physicochemical properties relevant to their use in energy storage applications such as fuel cells and batteries are introduced. The physicochemical properties that are reviewed are thermal properties, conductivity and chemical reactivity. The focus of the review is on the literature after 2008, with the exception of some important historic articles on ILs.

The development of bio-based polymers from proteins has gained attention for their large availability and renewable and biodegradable nature. However, protein-based plastics have limited commercial applications because of several drawbacks, such as poor processability, brittleness, moisture sensitivity, and inferior mechanical and thermal properties. Extensive studies have been conducted to solve or ameliorate these issues by pretreatment or modification of proteins or protein-derived biopolymers before or during wet processing or dry processing at elevated temperatures. This review provides an overview of research efforts conducted in the area of physical and chemical treatment of proteins to achieve better processability, mechanical properties, and other physical performance based on a literature review in this subject. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43351.

Adsorption at various interfaces has concerned scientists since the beginning of this century. This phenomenon underlies a number of extremely important processes of utilitarian significance. The technological, environmental and biological importance of adsorption can never be in doubt. Its practical applications in industry and environmental protection are of paramount importance. The adsorption of substrates is the first stage in many catalytic processes. The methods for separation of mixtures on a laboratory and on an industrial scale are increasingly based on utilising the change in concentration of components at the interface. Moreover, such vital problems as purification of water, sewages, air and soil are involved here too. On the other hand, many areas in which technological innovation has covered adsorption phenomena have been expanded more through art and craft than through science. A basic understanding of the scientific principles is far behind; in part because the study of interfaces requires extremely careful experimentation if meaningful and reproducible results are to be obtained. In recent years, however, considerable effort has been increasingly directed toward closing the gap between theory and practice. Crucial progress in theoretical description of the adsorption has been achieved, mainly through the development of new theoretical approaches formulated on a molecular level, by means of computer simulation methods and owing to new techniques which examine surface layers or interfacial regions. Moreover, during the last 15 years new classes of solid adsorbents have been developed, such as activated carbon fibres and carbon molecular sieves, fullerenes and heterofullerenes, microporous glasses and nanoporous--both carbonaceous and inorganic--materials. Nanostructured solids are very popular in science and technology and have gained extreme interest due to their sorption, catalytic, magnetic, optical and thermal properties. Although the development of adsorption up to the 1918s has been following rather a zig-zag path, this arm of surface science is now generally considered to have become a well-defined branch of physical science representing an intrinsically interdisciplinary area between chemistry, physics, biology and engineering. This review presents in brief the history of adsorption and highlights the progress in theoretical description of the phenomenon under consideration. The paper deals with the above problems critically, showing the development of adsorption, presenting some of the latest important results and giving a source of up-to-date literature on it. Moreover, in this paper the most important aspects are overviewed referring to today's trends and visions in application of adsorption science in industry, environmental protection and in environmental analysis. The relationship between development of adsorption theory and adsorption practice is pointed out. Current understanding and perspectives pertaining to applications of adsorption phenomena on laboratory and on industrial scale as well as environmental protection are discussed and illustrated by means of a few spectacular examples.

Cellular metals have ranges of thermomechanical properties that suggest their implementation in ultralight structures, as well as for impact/blast amelioration systems, for heat dissipation media and in acoustic isolation. The realization of these applications requires that the properties of cellular metals be understood in terms of their manufacturing constraints and that their thermostructural benefits over competing concepts be firmly established. This overview examines the mechanical and thermal properties of this material class, relative to other cellular and dense materials. It also provides design analyses for prototypical systems which specify implementation opportunities relative to competing concepts. # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

In searching for new explosives one is most concerned with performance (detonation velocity and pressure), thermal properties, and sensitivity, whether a new candidate explosive is ultimately widely used may well be determined by other factors, such as cost, toxicity, melting point, etc., but the initial research effort is guided by the trinity of performance, thermal stability, and sensitivity. This presents a difficult multifactoral problem in assessing the various molecular properties that contribute to each of these principal selection criteria. For instance, detonation velocity is affected by density, elemental composition, and heat of formation. These factors must be varied together in such a way as to maximize the combined effect on performance.