Layered Nanomaterials for Sustainable Photocatalysis and Environmental Remediation

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental degradation—caused by human actions such as industrialization, pollution, unsuitable agricultural practices, and urbanization—and climatic changes represent two major challenges that demand immediate action. As a green technology, photocatalysis is involved in efforts to solve environmental and energy issues by directly converting solar energy into chemical energy. Its advantages includes cost-effectiveness, minimal energy requirements, environmental friendliness, an absence of secondary waste, and a capacity to mineralize pollutants through reactive oxygen species generation. Benefiting from their distinctive physico-chemical properties (e.g., tunable crystal phase, easy exfoliation into thin sheets, the insertion of guest species between the layers) layered nanomaterials demonstrated versatility across numerous interdisciplinary fields and industrial sectors. One key factor driving the efficiency of layered nanomaterials for photocatalysis is their high surface area-to-volume ratio, which ensures there are more, exposed active sites leading to improved activity, selectivity and stability. Modifying the nanocatalysts’ bandgap structure, surface and morphology is essential for effective energy harvesting and storage, since it improves light absorption, charge transfer, and increases durability. Undoubtedly, the distinctive characteristics of layered photocatalytic nanomaterials are valuable in terms of addressing global challenges especially in healthcare, environmental science, agriculture, electronics, construction, cosmetics, textiles, or energy conversion systems.

This Special Issue aims to compile original research papers and comprehensive reviews, focusing on the development of layered nanomaterials with well-defined atomic structures and tailored characteristics for processes in the area of environmental remediation (e.g., water treatment, air purification, plastic degradation, etc.), as well as sustainable energy applications (e.g. hydrogen production, carbon dioxide photoreduction, water splitting, waste-to-energy conversion, etc.).

Dr. Monica Pavel
Dr. Ioan Balint
Guest Editors

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