Abstract: Thermal switches, ADR stages and devices, and methods of using thermal switches and ADR stages and devices. A thermal switch includes a magnetothermal element made of a magnetothermal material that is inherently or is inducible by a magnetic field into being a Weyl semimetal. An ADR stage includes one thermal switch with a magnetothermal material having thermal conductivity that increases in response to application of a magnetic field and another thermal switch with a magnetothermal material having a thermal conductivity that decreases in response to application of the magnetic field. An ADR device includes multiple ADR stages operatively coupled in series, with each ADR stage optimized for the temperature range over which it operates.

Abstract: A process for producing organic acid di- or tri-esters, particularly citric acid tri-esters, with the available acid groups esterified using countercurrent reactive distillation using acid catalysts in a structured packing is described. In the reactive distillation an organic acid di- or tri-ester is formed by chemical reaction and purified to its final state within the single column. Organic acid di- or tri-esters are produced at relatively low cost, with less waste production in by-products of the reaction, and in a less complicated manner than prior processes. Organic acid di- and tri-esters have uses as solvents, as plasticizers and in conversion products.