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Entitled “Natural Fiber-Based Composites”, this Special Issue has the objective to give an inventory of the latest research in the area of composites reinforced with natural fibers. Fibers of renewable origin have many advantages. They are abundant and cheap, they have a reduced impact on the environment, and they are also independent from fossil resources. Their ability to mechanically reinforce thermoplastic matrices is well known, as their natural heat insulation ability. In the last twenty years, the use of cellulosic and lignocellulosic agricultural by-products for composite applications has been of great interest, especially for reinforcing matrices. The matrices can themselves be of renewable origin (e.g., proteins, starch, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyamides, etc.), thus contributing to the development of 100% bio-based composites with a controlled end of life. This Special Issue’s objective is to give an inventory of the latest research in this area of composites reinforced with natural fibers, focusing in particular on the preparation and molding processes of such materials (e.g., extrusion, injection-molding, hot pressing, etc.) and their characterization. It contains one review and nineteen research reports authored by researchers from four continents and sixteen countries, namely, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, and Vietnam. It provides an update on current research in the field of natural fiber based composite materials. All these contributions will be a source of inspiration for the development of new composites, especially for producers of natural fibers, polymer matrices of renewable origin and composite materials. Generally speaking, these new materials are environmentally friendly and will undoubtedly find numerous applications in the years to come in many sectors. Dr. Philippe Evon Guest Editor

Technology: general issues --- biopolymers --- sunflower protein concentrate --- municipal bio-waste --- urea --- slow-release fertilizers --- lime mortar --- mucilaginous plants --- bio-products --- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) characterization --- cellulosic --- fiber --- flame retardant --- ecofriendly --- cotton --- coating --- exterior wall paints --- stain resistance --- western city --- volatile organic compounds (VOCs) --- cellulose nanofiber --- pretreatment --- lignin --- hemicellulose --- physicochemical properties --- natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites --- chemical treatments --- natural fibers --- manufacturing techniques --- green composites --- amaranth stem --- bark --- pith --- insulation blocks --- hardboards --- green composite --- nonwoven --- sound absorption --- structure --- profiling --- natural dye --- Himalayan balsam --- invasive plant --- printing --- textile --- paper --- olive stone --- biocomposite --- LCA --- circular economy --- filler --- sericin --- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) --- cotton fabrics --- electrospinning --- microcapsules --- chitosan --- essential oil --- bio functional material --- chitin nanofiber --- composite particle --- Pickering emulsion polymerization --- polystyrene --- scaled-down --- wastewater treatment --- differential scanning calorimetry --- tensile properties --- proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy --- packaging --- hybrid yarns --- hemp --- PA11 --- woven fabric --- bio-based composite --- mechanical characterisation --- biobased carbon materials --- meso- and microporous carbons --- dye adsorption --- chemical adsorption --- electrostatic interactions --- flax tows --- ultrasound --- gamma treatment --- DVS --- environmental analysis --- mechanical properties --- composite materials --- linseed flax --- straw --- fibre mechanical extraction --- shives --- mean fibre length --- mean fibre diameter --- geotextiles --- antibacterial activity --- kapok fibre --- polycaprolactone --- sound-absorption performance --- fractal dimension --- epoxy --- sustainability --- flame retardancy --- coffee wastes --- biowaste --- n/a

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The depletion of natural energy resources provides evidential adverse impacts on world economy functionality. The strong requirement of a sustainable energy supply has escalated intensive research and the discovery of cleaner energy sources, as well as efficient energy management practices. In the context of a circular economy, this research not only targets the optimisation of resources utilisation at different stages but also emphasises the eco-design of products to extend production life spans. Based on this concept, this book discusses the roles of process integration approaches, renewable energy sources utilisation and design modifications in addressing the process energy and exergy efficiency improvement. The primary focus is to enhance the economic and environmental performance through process analysis, modelling and optimisation. The articles mainly show the contribution of each aspect: (a) design and numerical study for innovative energy-efficient technologies, (b) process integration—heat and power, (c) process energy efficiency or emission analysis, and (d) optimisation of renewable energy resources’ supply chain. The articles are based on the latest contribution of this journal’s Special Issues in the 21st conference entitled “Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction (PRES)”. This book is complemented with an editorial review to highlight the broader state-of-the-art development.

Research & information: general --- particulate matter --- fine particles --- combustion particles --- nucleation --- particle growth --- data envelopment analysis --- energy efficiency --- food loss and waste --- life-cycle assessment --- welding residual stress --- welding deflection --- T-joint fillet weld --- preheat temperature --- interpass time --- finite element analysis --- water desalination --- water supply --- water shortage --- energy demand --- environmental impacts --- specific energy consumption --- cryogenic energy storage --- air liquefaction --- exergy analysis --- economic analysis --- exergoeconomic analysis --- heat exchanger network --- structural controllability --- structural observability --- operability --- network science --- sensor and actuator placement --- simplified methods --- design procedure --- convection section --- radiant section --- flow distribution --- heat flux distribution --- boiler --- solar collector network --- minimum number of solar collectors --- maximum operating time --- flexible operation --- district heating --- heat accumulation --- pipe --- numerical model --- Modelica language --- Julia language --- performance --- off-grid polygeneration --- micro-hydropower plant --- fuzzy optimization --- mixed-integer linear programming --- dual-turbine --- multi-objective --- heat exchanger network (HEN) --- synthesis --- optimization --- direct heat integration --- indirect heat integration --- piping --- pumping --- impinging jet --- dimple --- Nusselt number --- heat transfer --- heat exchanger --- flow boiling --- surface-enhanced tube --- heat transfer coefficient --- flow pattern --- total site heat integration --- heat recovery loop (HRL) --- heat storage --- Monte Carlo (MC) simulation --- data farming --- gasification --- biomass --- total solid particle --- trigeneration system --- process integration --- pinch analysis --- co-generation --- storage system --- trigeneration system cascade analysis --- energy conservation --- latent heat thermal energy storage --- phase change materials --- passive cooling --- bio-adsorbents --- chitosan microbeads --- nanoparticles --- anaerobic digestion --- biowaste --- life cycle assessment --- smart city --- waste collection --- P-Graph framework --- process network synthesis --- multi-periodic model --- sustainability --- co-firing --- wheat straw --- softwood --- bog peat --- pellets --- thermal decomposition --- combustion --- DC electric field --- computational fluid dynamics --- temperature contour --- cooling system --- mathematical optimization --- machine learning --- flexible control technology --- biomass co-firing --- biomass quality --- network optimization --- goal programming --- mixed integer nonlinear programming --- renewable energy sources --- energy-saving technologies