Selected papers presented at the 'International Workshop on Cellular Materials' (I.Wo.C.Mat.) in Turin (Italy) in 2011: Editorial comments

Many materials have a cellular structure, cork, wood, sponge and trabecular bone are natural cellular solids, while engineered honeycombs and foams are now made from polymers, metals, ceramics and glasses. Materials containing tailored porosity exhibit unique properties and features. Therefore, porous materials find nowadays many applications as end products in several technological processes. Contrary to metallic and polymeric porous structures, pores have been traditionally avoided in ceramic components because of their intrinsic brittle nature. However, in the last decades, an increasing number of applications that require porous ceramics have appeared, especially for environments where high temperatures, extensive wear and corrosive media are involved.