Nanocelluloses are natural materials with at least one dimension in the nano-scale. They combine important cellulose properties with the features of nanomaterials and open new horizons for materials science and its applications. The field of nanocellulose materials is subdivided into three domains: biotechnologically produced bacterial nanocellulose hydrogels, mechanically delaminated cellulose nanofibers, and hydrolytically extracted cellulose nanocrystals. This review article describes today's state regarding the production, structural details, physicochemical properties, and innovative applications of these nanocelluloses. Promising technical applications including gels/foams, thickeners/stabilizers as well as reinforcing agents have been proposed and research from last five years indicates new potential for groundbreaking innovations in the areas of cosmetic products, wound dressings, drug carriers, medical implants, tissue engineering, food and composites. The current state of worldwide commercialization and the challenge of reducing nanocellulose production costs are also discussed.

Novel Process Windows make use of process conditions that are far from conventional practices. This involves the use of high temperatures, high pressures, high concentrations (solvent-free), new chemical transformations, explosive conditions, and process simplification and integration to boost synthetic chemistry on both the laboratory and production scale. Such harsh reaction conditions can be safely reached in microstructured reactors due to their excellent transport intensification properties. This Review discusses the different routes towards Novel Process Windows and provides several examples for each route grouped into different classes of chemical and process-design intensification.

The implementation of Life Cycle Assessment and related methods in green chemical process and synthesis design strongly supports the development of greener concepts on the basis of deep and profound insights into the dependences between the selection of compounds and process parameters and the resulting environmental impacts. This review article provides an overview on things to know about LCA in general, specifics to be considered during its application in the field of chemical (re-)designs and current application examples from emerging research areas such as active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing, nanotechnology, flow chemistry, process intensification under harsh synthesis conditions, process integration, waste treatment, the use of alternative energy sources or solvents as well as chemistry based on renewable resources.