Sonochemical Applications for Process Industries: A Comprehensive Analysis and Review

Process industries such as textiles, leather and chemicals demand transformation from conventional methods to cope up with the challenges posed due to (i) environmental issues, (ii) adaptability to recent developments in manufacturing, and (iii) cost-competitive market environment. In this regard, potential use of process intensification tools such as ultrasound is being widely studied with broad interest. Ultrasound is useful in different unit operations and processes with benefits of improving process efficiency, optimum use of chemicals, process time reduction, pollution minimization and process-specific benefits. Ultrasound could be effective, in order to facilitate the cleaner/greener process. In the present paper, the application of ultrasound in leather processing, leather auxiliary’s preparation, diffusion through membranes, polymers, chemical reactions, textiles and wastewater treatment has been analyzed and reviewed along with the theory and practice of ultrasound with 200 references including recent publications. Use of ultrasound in leather processing steps is as follows: vegetable tanning, dyeing and fatliquoring provided significant enhancements and diffusion rate. In leather auxiliary’s preparation, solid–liquid extraction (vegetable tannins and natural dyes) from plant materials give improvements in mass transfer enhancement and %yield as an eco-friendly approach. 7E’s concept for balanced rationale for deployment of ultrasound system for process industries has been explained for the first time. Graphical Abstract