Smart Functional Nanomaterials: From Synthesis to Digital Water Solutions
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 89
Special Issue Editor
Interests: nanostructured materials; biomedical applications; biocompatible nanomaterials; surface modification strategies; synthesis methodology; nanoscale biointerfaces
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The next frontier in water technology lies at the intersection of tailored material synthesis and digital innovation. Functional nanomaterials, engineered for specific properties like adsorption, catalysis, or magnetic response, form the essential building blocks. When these materials are designed with built-in "intelligence" or integrated into digital frameworks, they unlock unprecedented capabilities for precise, efficient, and autonomous water purification and monitoring.
This Special Issue focuses on the synergistic development of functional nanomaterials and digital technologies to address complex water challenges. We seek contributions that cover the rational design and synthesis of advanced nanomaterials (e.g., engineered zeolites, composite nanostructures, magnetic or plasmonic materials) and their implementation in smart systems. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Design and Synthesis of Advanced Functional Nanomaterials: Novel adsorbents (e.g., for heavy metals or emerging contaminants), (photo)catalysts, antimicrobial agents, and magnetic nanocomposites.
- b)Materials with Built-in "Smart" Functionality: Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials, materials enabling in situ sensor signals, or platforms that allow for controlled release or regeneration.
- Integration into Digital Water Systems: Use of nanomaterials in real-time sensor networks, IoT-enabled purification devices, or systems where material performance is optimized via machine learning algorithms.
- Targeted Applications: Removal of priority pollutants (heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics), disinfection, resource recovery, or precise sensing in complex water matrices.
We welcome original research and reviews that highlight this multidisciplinary approach, connecting core materials science with environmental engineering and digital innovation.
Dr. Álvaro De Jesús Ruíz-Baltazar
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- functional nanomaterials
- smart materials
- heavy metal removal
- nanocomposites
- magnetic nanoparticles
- advanced adsorbents
- water sensors
- digital water technology
- catalysis
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