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Biomass has received significant attention as a sustainable feedstock that can replace diminishing fossil fuels in the production of value-added chemicals and energy. Many new catalytic technologies have been developed for the conversion of biomass feedstocks into valuable biofuels and bioproducts. However, many of these still suffer from several disadvantages, such as weak catalytic performance, harsh reaction conditions, a high processing cost, and questionable sustainability, which limit their further applicability/development in the immediate future. In this context, the esterification of carboxylic acids represents a very valuable solution to these problems, requiring mild reaction conditions and being advantageously integrable with many existing processes of biomass conversion. An emblematic example is the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal route for levulinic acid production, already upgraded to that of higher value alkyl levulinates, obtained by esterification or directly by biomass alcoholysis. Many other chemical processes benefit from esterification, such as the synthesis of biodiesel, which includes monoalkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids prepared from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats, or that of cellulose esters, mainly acetates, for textile uses. Even pyrolysis bio-oil should be stabilized by esterification to neutralize the acidity of carboxylic acids and moderate the reactivity of other typical biomass-derived compounds, such as sugars, furans, aldehydes, and phenolics. This Special Issue reports on the recent main advances in the homogeneous/heterogeneous catalytic conversion of model/real biomass components into ester derivatives that are extremely attractive for both the academic and industrial fields. Dr. Domenico Licursi Guest Editor

Research & information: general --- Chemistry --- eugenol --- acetylation --- flint kaolin --- mesoporous aluminosilicate --- functionalization --- heterogeneous catalysis --- n-butyl levulinate --- alcoholysis --- butanolysis --- Eucalyptus nitens --- microwaves --- biorefinery --- diesel blends --- process intensification --- hydrolysis --- solvothermal process --- alkyl levulinate --- levulinic acid --- 5-hydroxymethylfurfural --- furfural --- humins --- biomass ester derivatives --- solvothermal processing --- γ-valerolactone --- Ni-Fe bimetallic catalysts --- ABE fermentation --- Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst --- biofuel --- catalytic performance --- sewage scum --- methyl (R)-10-hydroxystearate --- FAMEs --- biodiesel --- estolides --- cardoon --- waste biomass --- bio-fuels --- heterogeneous catalysts --- combustion --- PEG --- transesterification --- n/a

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Biomass has received significant attention as a sustainable feedstock that can replace diminishing fossil fuels in the production of value-added chemicals and energy. Many new catalytic technologies have been developed for the conversion of biomass feedstocks into valuable biofuels and bioproducts. However, many of these still suffer from several disadvantages, such as weak catalytic performance, harsh reaction conditions, a high processing cost, and questionable sustainability, which limit their further applicability/development in the immediate future. In this context, the esterification of carboxylic acids represents a very valuable solution to these problems, requiring mild reaction conditions and being advantageously integrable with many existing processes of biomass conversion. An emblematic example is the acid-catalyzed hydrothermal route for levulinic acid production, already upgraded to that of higher value alkyl levulinates, obtained by esterification or directly by biomass alcoholysis. Many other chemical processes benefit from esterification, such as the synthesis of biodiesel, which includes monoalkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids prepared from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats, or that of cellulose esters, mainly acetates, for textile uses. Even pyrolysis bio-oil should be stabilized by esterification to neutralize the acidity of carboxylic acids and moderate the reactivity of other typical biomass-derived compounds, such as sugars, furans, aldehydes, and phenolics. This Special Issue reports on the recent main advances in the homogeneous/heterogeneous catalytic conversion of model/real biomass components into ester derivatives that are extremely attractive for both the academic and industrial fields. Dr. Domenico Licursi Guest Editor

Research & information: general --- Chemistry --- eugenol --- acetylation --- flint kaolin --- mesoporous aluminosilicate --- functionalization --- heterogeneous catalysis --- n-butyl levulinate --- alcoholysis --- butanolysis --- Eucalyptus nitens --- microwaves --- biorefinery --- diesel blends --- process intensification --- hydrolysis --- solvothermal process --- alkyl levulinate --- levulinic acid --- 5-hydroxymethylfurfural --- furfural --- humins --- biomass ester derivatives --- solvothermal processing --- γ-valerolactone --- Ni-Fe bimetallic catalysts --- ABE fermentation --- Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst --- biofuel --- catalytic performance --- sewage scum --- methyl (R)-10-hydroxystearate --- FAMEs --- biodiesel --- estolides --- cardoon --- waste biomass --- bio-fuels --- heterogeneous catalysts --- combustion --- PEG --- transesterification

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Sol-gel technology is a contemporary advancement in science that requires taking a multidisciplinary approach with regard to its various applications. This book highlights some applications of the sol-gel technology, including protective coatings, catalysts, piezoelectric devices, wave guides, lenses, high-strength ceramics, superconductors, synthesis of nanoparticles, and insulating materials. In particular, for biotechnological applications, biomolecules or the incorporation of bioactive substances into the sol-gel matrix has been extensively studied and has been a challenge for many researchers. Some sol-gel materials are widely applied in light-emitting diodes, solar cells, sensing, catalysis, integration in photovoltaic devices, and more recently in biosensing, bioimaging, or medical diagnosis; others can be considered excellent drug delivery systems. The goal of an ideal drug delivery system is the prompt delivery of a therapeutic amount of the drug to the proper site in the body, where the desired drug concentration can be maintained. The interactions between drugs and the sol-gel system can affect the release rate. In conclusion, the sol-gel synthesis method offers mixing at the molecular level and is able to improve the chemical homogeneity of the resulting composite. This opens new doors not only regarding compositions of previously unattainable materials, but also to unique structures with different applications.

silsesquioxanes --- thiol-ene click reaction --- conformal coating --- multi-layer --- oxyfluoride glass-ceramics --- nanocrystal --- lithium lanthanum titanium oxide --- surface plasmon resonance --- chlorogenic acid --- thin-disk laser --- biomedical applications --- biomaterials --- potential step voltammetry --- mechanical analysis --- metal oxides --- biocompatibility --- tungsten oxide --- Li-ion batteries --- sol-gel technique --- optical properties --- bioactivity --- LiMnxFe(1?x)PO4 --- computer-aided design (CAD) --- hybrid materials --- resistive random access memory (RRAM) --- poly(?-caprolactone) --- Yb-doped glasses --- electrochemical impedance spectroscopy --- organic–inorganic hybrid materials --- carbon coating --- ultrasonic spray deposition --- 1D structure --- hydrophobic coatings --- sol-gel --- organic-inorganic hybrids --- composites --- paper --- wettability --- pseudo-diffusion coefficient --- lithium-ion battery --- cytotoxicity --- X-ray diffraction analysis --- TG-FTIR --- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis --- photoluminescence --- cell proliferation --- cell cycle --- aluminosilicate glasses --- finite element analysis (FEA) --- optical sensors --- hollow sphere --- TG-DSC --- NMR --- cotton fabric --- organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) --- one transistor and one resistor (1T1R) --- sol–gel method --- SiO2–based hybrids --- sol-gel method --- in situ water production

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The Special Issue of the journal Materials, entitled “Novel Material and Technological Solutions in Foundry Engineering”, contains very interesting papers from the field of material science concerning topics such as cast composites, layered castings, selected aspects of the crystallisation of alloys and the technology of cast and heat treatment of Al alloys and cast iron, the properties of moulding sands, properties of Ni-base superalloys, the technology of repairing castings using welding.

Technology: general issues --- History of engineering & technology --- nanocomposite --- nanoparticle --- microstructure --- mechanical --- Babbitt --- alumina --- high-chromium cast iron --- austenitizing conditions --- cooling conditions --- martensite transformation --- hardness --- cylinder heads --- heat treatment --- Brinell hardness --- automotive industry --- superalloy --- HRSTEM --- STEM-EDX --- M23C6 --- nano-borides --- Al-Si-Cu secondary aluminum alloy --- returnable material --- natural and artificial aging --- Cu precipitate --- transmission electron microscopy --- mechanical properties --- crystallization --- thermal and derivative analysis --- bimetallic --- interfacial --- compound casting --- laser surface alloying --- ductile cast iron --- in situ composite --- titanium carbide --- high-tin bronzes --- welding of bell --- bell’s sound --- aluminosilicate --- perlite --- vermiculite --- dehydroxylation --- thermal analysis --- FTIR --- XRD --- XRF --- SEM --- moulding sand --- inorganic binder --- magnetron sputtering --- HIPIMs method --- TiAlN layer --- XRD analysis --- EDS analysis --- surface morphology --- coating thickness --- AFM microscopy --- supergravity crystallization --- gravitational segregation --- texture --- hexagonal alloys --- monotectic transformation --- high-aluminum cast iron --- Al4C3 carbide --- spontaneous disintegration of the casting structure --- casting composite --- silicon carbide --- gray cast iron --- graphite --- pearlite --- reinforcement particles --- metallic matrix --- Inconel 740 --- phase transformation --- investment casting --- solidification

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The Special Issue of the journal Materials, entitled “Novel Material and Technological Solutions in Foundry Engineering”, contains very interesting papers from the field of material science concerning topics such as cast composites, layered castings, selected aspects of the crystallisation of alloys and the technology of cast and heat treatment of Al alloys and cast iron, the properties of moulding sands, properties of Ni-base superalloys, the technology of repairing castings using welding.

Technology: general issues --- History of engineering & technology --- nanocomposite --- nanoparticle --- microstructure --- mechanical --- Babbitt --- alumina --- high-chromium cast iron --- austenitizing conditions --- cooling conditions --- martensite transformation --- hardness --- cylinder heads --- heat treatment --- Brinell hardness --- automotive industry --- superalloy --- HRSTEM --- STEM-EDX --- M23C6 --- nano-borides --- Al-Si-Cu secondary aluminum alloy --- returnable material --- natural and artificial aging --- Cu precipitate --- transmission electron microscopy --- mechanical properties --- crystallization --- thermal and derivative analysis --- bimetallic --- interfacial --- compound casting --- laser surface alloying --- ductile cast iron --- in situ composite --- titanium carbide --- high-tin bronzes --- welding of bell --- bell’s sound --- aluminosilicate --- perlite --- vermiculite --- dehydroxylation --- thermal analysis --- FTIR --- XRD --- XRF --- SEM --- moulding sand --- inorganic binder --- magnetron sputtering --- HIPIMs method --- TiAlN layer --- XRD analysis --- EDS analysis --- surface morphology --- coating thickness --- AFM microscopy --- supergravity crystallization --- gravitational segregation --- texture --- hexagonal alloys --- monotectic transformation --- high-aluminum cast iron --- Al4C3 carbide --- spontaneous disintegration of the casting structure --- casting composite --- silicon carbide --- gray cast iron --- graphite --- pearlite --- reinforcement particles --- metallic matrix --- Inconel 740 --- phase transformation --- investment casting --- solidification