Sustainable Catalysis for Green Chemistry and Energy Transition, 2nd Edition

Sustainable catalysis now stands at the intersection of green chemistry and the global energy transition. Since the green chemistry framework introduced by Anastas and Warner [1] emphasised waste prevention, atom economy, energy efficiency, renewable feedstocks, and the preference for catalytic over stoichiometric processes, catalysis has increasingly been recognised as a central strategy for redesigning chemical production toward lower environmental impact. Centi and Perathoner [2] identified catalysis as a key technology for achieving the goals of sustainable chemistry, while more recent discussions have linked catalytic innovation directly to the net-zero transition, where changing feedstocks, energy systems, and material demands are reshaping the priorities of catalyst development [3,4]. This broader relevance is especially evident in the growing importance of hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, which the International Energy Agency identifies as important for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry and long-distance transport [5,6]. Against this background, the present Special Issue, Sustainable Catalysis for Green Chemistry and Energy Transition, 2nd Edition, brings together contributions that reflect both the scientific diversity and the strategic importance of catalysis in enabling cleaner synthesis, environmental remediation, renewable energy conversion, and more sustainable industrial practices.

The 10 articles provide a concentrated overview of sustainable catalysis, focusing on methane upgrading, hydrogen production, electrocatalytic water splitting, and environmental cleanup. Three reviews outline the field’s future. Overall, these contributions show how catalyst composition, phase structure, and architecture impact activity, selectivity, and stability in realistic conditions.

Banabdwin et al. [7] examined Co/Al₂O₃ catalysts for methane partial oxidation to hydrogen-rich syngas. They identified 700 °C calcination as optimal for the unpromoted catalyst, then showed Zr promotion improved time-on-stream stability and suppressed graphitic carbon formation. Biehler and Abdel-Fattah [8] developed gold nanoparticle-decorated spherical carbon materials via a glucose-mediated synthesis strategy and evaluated them as catalysts for hydrogen generation via hydrolysis of sodium borohydride. They demonstrated high catalytic efficiency under mild conditions, supported by favourable activation energy, turnover number, and turnover frequency values, thereby emphasising the value of conductive carbon architectures for dispersing and stabilising catalytically active Au nanoparticles. Alamoudi and Podila [9] evaluated Ce-based perovskite oxides for ammonia decomposition as a carbon-free hydrogen pathway. They reported stronger low-temperature performance compared to impregnated analogues, with CeNiO₃ benefiting from oxygen vacancies and enhanced reducibility.

Beyond energy vectors, the Special Issue also highlights catalysis-enabled environmental and bio-interface solutions. Rojas-Cabeza et al. [10] targeted tick control through arginine kinase inhibition using carbamoyl carboxylic acid analogues. They combined fluorescence quenching and molecular dynamics to identify a lead scaffold with the strongest binding among the tested analogues. Cha et al. [11] advanced practical VOC abatement using a Ga₂O₃-coated stainless-steel mesh under UVC irradiation. The immobilised catalyst retained ~93–95% performance across repeated cycles, supporting scalable, reusable air-cleaning formats.

Electrocatalysis is achieved through two complementary routes that emphasise structural control and compositional tuning. Khdary et al. [12] introduced the Reverse Steam Rising Process to prepare hierarchical organo-nickel composites for oxygen evolution. Their porous multi-level architecture improved OER metrics relative to those of the pristine material, linking the synthesis pathway to catalytic transport advantages. Zehtab Salmasi et al. [13] reported spinel-type high-entropy oxides (MnFeNiCoX)₃O₄ and quantified how the fifth element shifts OER performance. The Cr-containing composition exhibited low overpotential at 10 mA cm⁻² and favourable kinetic indicators, underscoring “element tailoring” as an optimisation strategy.

Finally, three reviews broaden the impact of the Special Issue by organising fast-growing knowledge domains and clarifying design priorities. Alazaiza et al. [14] analysed 217 publications published between 2010 and 2024 to map global research activity in this field. Their study identified major thematic clusters, including toxicity, nanoremediation, photocatalysis, adsorption, phytoremediation, and agricultural applications, providing a valuable overview of how catalytic nanomaterials are being integrated into environmental cleanup strategies. In a second bibliometric contribution, Alazaiza et al. [15] analysed 221 papers. They reported rapid growth, with 122 publications in 2024, and performed a bibliometric analysis of wastewater-to-green-hydrogen catalysis from 2010 to 2024, showing rapid growth in publication volume and key thematic linkages among electrolysis, treatment, and hydrogen evolution. This evidence base supports targeted capacity building, especially where research remains nascent. Ma et al. [16] reviewed metal-modified zeolites for the catalytic dehydration of bioethanol to ethylene, a topic of major importance for replacing petroleum-derived routes with renewable-carbon alternatives. Their review systematically discussed reaction mechanisms, catalyst preparation methods, framework effects, metal modification strategies, deactivation pathways, and regeneration approaches, thereby providing a comprehensive foundation for future catalyst design in sustainable ethylene production.

Overall, the contributions in this Special Issue show that sustainable catalysis is both scientifically diverse and strategically vital. By compiling advances in catalyst design, electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, hydrogen production, renewable chemical synthesis, molecular targeting, and bibliometric analysis, this collection clarifies the current state of the field and indicates the likely directions for future development.