Lignin is one of the most abundant plant-derived feedstock on earth and qualifies as a renewable material. However, lignin is widely recognized as waste byproduct of the cellulosic ethanol and pulp and paper industry. How to properly modify lignin and develop it into functional polymers is a huge challenge, but an attractive research topic in both industry and academia.This book brings together leading engineering approaches to address the challenges of lignin valorization. It presents the chemistry and properties of different types of lignin, and explores the cutting-edge approaches of lignin modifications. Unlike any existing texts, this book not only summarizes the traditional ways of using lignin, but also presents various potential applications of lignin materials together with advanced processing techniques.The basis of lignin (its chemistry, types and properties) is described, as are different approaches to modify it. The features of lignin and its copolymers are explored and aligned with their potential applications. In addition to the carbon materials from lignin, the advanced fabrication approaches to engineer lignin-based micro/nano-structural materials are summarized.

Circularity of Plastics: Sustainability, Emerging Materials, and Valorization of Waste Plastic takes an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to circularity and sustainability in plastics, with an emphasis on plastic waste and end-of-life treatment and options for recycling, re-use, valorization and development of biomass-based polymers. The book introduces key concepts of sustainable materials, the circular economy, and lifecycle assessment, and discusses challenges in the valorization of waste. Other sections cover the upcycling of waste plastic into new materials and fuels, with dedicated chapters exploring state-of-the-art techniques for conversion to new sustainable polymers, fuel, fine chemicals and carbon nanomaterials. Emerging technologies used to produce functional polymers from renewable feedstocks, including CO2, biomass, natural polymers, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoate-based materials (PHAs) are then explored, with a final chapter focusing on applications of sustainable materials, challenges, and future perspectives. This is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists, engineers, R&D professionals, and advanced students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, with an interest in sustainable materials, circularity in plastics, and polymer waste and valorization.

Nanotechnology is a promising technique that can facilitate sustainability across a wide range of areas. By fabricating materials into nanometre-scale, nanotechnology has facilitated an efficient, economically, and environmentally acceptable solution for waste treatment and energy production. This book illustrates how green nanotechnology is being used to promote sustainability, including applications in environmental remediation and energy optimization. First, a comprehensive discussion of the latest advances to address the global challenges in water purification, CO2 management, plastics issue, food waste valorisation, toxic chemical pollutes, and energy efficiency will be provided. This is followed by the new opportunities that have been created in the production of alternative renewable energy under the premise of low natural resource consumption and minuscule toxicity production. Offering an important reference for the research community to understand more about green nanotechnology and its applications in sustainable development and circular economy. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in nanotechnology, materials science, sustainability, environmental science, and energy.

The exploration of photothermal nanomaterials with high light-to-heat conversion efficiency has paved the way for practical applications, including in cancer therapy, environmental remediation, catalysis, imaging and biomedicine. Covering the photothermal effect of different categories of light-absorbing nanomaterials, and focusing on metallic nanomaterials, 2D materials, semiconductors, carbon-based nanomaterials, polymeric nanomaterials and their composites, chapters in this book provide a systematic summary of recent advances in the fabrication and application of photothermal nanomaterials, discussing advantages, challenges and potential opportunities. This text will be a valuable resource for scientists working on photothermal nanomaterials, as well as those interested in the applications across chemistry, biomedicine, nanotechnology and materials science.