A methodology for the synthesis in aqueous media of gold nanoparticles with controlled size and shape and exceptional colloidal stability is reviewed. This methodology is based on designer polymers that can exhibit multiple functions on the basis of the polymer intramolecular and supramolecular organization.

An efficient and commercially competitive lignocellulosic biorefinery requires optimum utilization of all biomass components. Till date, lignin is the most underutilized component of a lignocellulosic biomass. However, lignin depolymerization with selective bond cleavage can convert it into various value-added chemicals including monomeric phenols and phenolic aldehydes.

By measuring the aerosol transmission using a surface ionization detector and aerosols resembling those found in product gas from thermal conversion of biomass, two continuous sampling systems are compared with con-ventional impinger bottles. The main mechanisms for mass transfer from gas to liquid are discussed.

Perovskite-type oxides have extensively been investigated as catalysts for several processes and some of them have shown appropriate activity for peroxide decomposition. In La_1–XCa_XMnO₃ (X = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) perovskites, a decrease in δ-oxygen non-stoichiometry and an increase in average manganese valence state, which are results of the replacement of La by Ca, enhance the catalytic activity for the hydrogen peroxide decomposition reaction.

Er₂O₃ nanoparticles (NP) were prepared using the precipitation method by application of sodium dodecylsulfate as surfactant and ammonia as precipitator. By application of the Rietveld refinement method and scanning electron microscopy, the effects of surfactant addition on the crystallographic and morphological properties of Er₂O₃ NP were investigated.

A coal-based gas, tar, power, and heat polygeneration process was developed, which integrated a circulating fluidized bed combustor with a moving bed pyrolyzer. Process operation showed good consistency and integration between the boiler and pyrolyzer. Critical operation parameters were investigated.

A method for indirect determination of the cohesion forces of nanomaterials was evaluated. To characterize the ability of a given nanomaterial to act as flow regulator, the terms effectiveness and efficiency were introduced. It was found that the efficiency of nanomaterials used as flow regulators is strongly dependent on the strength of the aggregates formed by their primary particles.

The resistance properties of a bend for high-pressure dense-phase pneumatic conveying of pulverized coal with different mean particle sizes using nitrogen were investigated with a conveying pressure of up to 4 MPa. The results show that the pressure drop due to gas friction is less significant, while the pressure drop due to the solids friction component of the total pressure drop dominates.

Aspects of the fluid dynamics of a concurrent rotary dryer were evaluated. The performance of the concurrent dryer was then compared with a non-conventional configuration known as the roto-aerated dryer. The results confirm better gas-particle contact in a roto-aerated dryer.

A new kind of phase change materials can be regarded as potential energy storage material for thermal applications. This study deals with the synthesis and determination of thermal energy storage properties and thermal reliability of erythritol tetrapalmitate and erythritol tetrastearate as novel solid-liquid phase change materials.

Polyglycidylmethacrylate beads with macroporous structure were synthesized by suspension polymerization and directly used for Candida species 99–125 lipase immobilization because of their rich surface epoxy groups. To increase the enzyme activity, divinyl benzene and toluene/heptane were used as cross-linker and porogen, respectively, and the effects of cross-linker content and porogen content on lipase immobilization were studied.

Understanding the caking behavior of powders can be difficult when bulk powder properties are studied due to the many factors affecting caking and the complex interactions between individual particles. This work demonstrates the advantages and the additional information that using atomic force microscopy can bring to studying the properties of powdered materials and how the data can be used in relation to powder caking.

Thermal gasification of sludge is a promising thermal treatment. It can lead to a recovery of energy and a drastic reduction in the initial waste volume. Experimental results are included in a model to study the nitrogen behavior and to predict the emission of NH₃ during sewage sludge gasification.

An adaptive robust generic model control (ARGMC) for a high-purity internal thermally coupled distillation column (ITCDIC) is proposed. The tuning method of parameters and the selection of models are illustrated in detail. Research results are compared with PID and RGMC controllers in both servo control and regulatory control.

A novel low-viscosity (< 10 000 cP) unsaturated hyper-branched polyester resin (UHPR) is synthesized by the reaction between maleic anhydride monoisooctyl alcohol ester and a hydroxyl-ended hyper-branched polyester resin. It can be applied in the field of environment-friendly coatings and in toughening and reinforcing linear unsaturated polymers.

A unique comprehensive dataset for the interfacial tensions of methane, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide with reservoir water and condensate at various pressures and temperatures has been elaborated, serving as a building block to the essential practical understanding of the surface effects associated with improved condensate recovery from gas condensate reservoirs by gas injection.

Catalytic performance of bifunctional catalysts that contain acidic centers and different transition metal oxide components were investigated. The TPD-TG-MS investigations of catalysts loaded with glycerol turned out to be useful tools for fast-screening of initial activities of catalysts in the gas-phase dehydration of glycerol.

Phosphine (PH₃) is an important electronic gas (E-gas) and it is important to control its emission. Adsorption experiments were carried out under dynamic conditions for PH₃ on a fixed bed of 5Å molecular sieve. The breakthrough characteristics of PH₃ on the fixed bed are discussed. The method is suitable for E-gas research, which is always dangerous or toxic.