For many years, process intensification
has been seen and considered
through the prism of equipment and methods. The current review paper
adds a new perspective to it and examines the role of (advanced) materials
in process intensification. The discussion is illustrated with numerous
examples of various types of materials that have been shown to intensify
chemical and catalytic reactions, mass transfer, heat transfer, and
momentum transfer processes, respectively. The role of process intensification
in manufacturing of new, advanced materials is also discussed. In
view of the importance of materials for process intensification, an
update of the classical approach to the field of PI is postulated.