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Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions
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Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2025) | Viewed by 6758

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yolanda Cesteros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament de Química Física i Inorgànica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Marcel lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; green chemistry; microwaves; ultrasounds; biomass valorization; glycerol revalorization; catalysts preparation and characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Judith Granados-Reyes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament de Química Física i Inorgànica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; green chemistry; microwaves; ultrasounds; biomass valorization; glycerol revalorization; catalysts preparation and characterization

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microwave irradiation has garnered significant interest in recent years as an efficient alternative to traditional heating methods in chemical synthesis and catalysis. This approach offers several key advantages, including the ability to accelerate reactions, operate under milder conditions, and reduce energy consumption. Additionally, it provides more homogeneous heating of materials, which enhances efficiency and control over catalytic processes. However, it also presents challenges, such as the formation of hot spots and issues related to the use of metallic catalysts in microwave systems.

This Special Issue aims to compile recent and original research exploring the application of microwaves in catalytic reactions and in the improvement of the catalytic materials synthesis. We invite submissions addressing a wide range of catalytic transformations, including acid, base, or metal-catalyzed reactions, oxidation processes, biomass conversion, gas processing, and activation of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. There is also interest in advancing the use of microwaves in environmental catalysis, synthesis of catalytic nanomaterials, and for solvent-free reactions. Additionally, contributions that compare this technique to conventional methods, or that focus on the development of microwave reactors and the industrial scaling of these processes, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Yolanda Cesteros
Dr. Judith Granados-Reyes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microwave-assisted catalytic reactions
  • microwave-assisted synthesis of catalytic materials
  • biomass valorization via microwaves
  • microwave-assisted acid/base-catalysed reactions
  • microwave-assisted (de)-hydrogenation and oxidation reactions
  • microwaves in non-polar reaction media
  • microwave reactors and equipment
  • scale-up microwave-assisted catalytic reactions

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5865 KB  
Article
Microwave Synthesis of Transition Metal (Fe, Co, Ni)-Supported Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation
by Anna A. Strekalova, Anastasiya A. Shesterkina, Kirill A. Beresnev, Petr V. Pribytkov, Gennadiy I. Kapustin, Igor V. Mishin, Leonid M. Kustov and Alexander L. Kustov
Catalysts 2026, 16(1), 111; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16010111 - 22 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 777
Abstract
To improve the efficiency of CO2 hydrogenation, it is essential to develop new catalysts as well as new methods of producing them. In our work, we propose a new Fe-, Co-, Cu-containing catalyst preparation technique based on depositing the active component through [...] Read more.
To improve the efficiency of CO2 hydrogenation, it is essential to develop new catalysts as well as new methods of producing them. In our work, we propose a new Fe-, Co-, Cu-containing catalyst preparation technique based on depositing the active component through urea hydrolysis using microwave heating. We also compare catalysts produced with microwave synthesis to samples obtained through traditional synthesis methods, including impregnation and thermal deposition. The obtained catalysts were characterized by XRD, low-temperature N2 adsorption, SEM., and UV-VIS methods. The catalytic properties of the catalysts depend not only on the nature of the active component, but also on the preparation method. The best results for CO2 hydrogenation were achieved with Ni-containing catalysts produced by the impregnation method and microwave synthesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions)
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20 pages, 4353 KB  
Article
Synthesis of MOF-Derived Mono-, Bi- and Trimetallic Fe, Zn and Cu Oxides for Microwave-Assisted Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation
by Carmen Moreno-Fernández, Marina Ronda-Leal, Antonio Ángel Romero and Antonio Pineda
Catalysts 2025, 15(11), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15111050 - 3 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1569
Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable chemical processes has fostered the development of advanced catalytic systems for biomass valorization. In this work, a series of mono-, bi-, and trimetallic oxides (FeO, FeCuO, FeZnO, and FeCuZnO) were successfully synthesized using MIL-101-based MOFs as sacrificial templates. [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for sustainable chemical processes has fostered the development of advanced catalytic systems for biomass valorization. In this work, a series of mono-, bi-, and trimetallic oxides (FeO, FeCuO, FeZnO, and FeCuZnO) were successfully synthesized using MIL-101-based MOFs as sacrificial templates. The obtained materials were thoroughly characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, XRD, FTIR, and TEM/STEM-EDX to investigate their structural, morphological, and textural properties. Their catalytic performance was evaluated in the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol, a lignin-derived platform molecule, into benzaldehyde under microwave irradiation as a sustainable heating strategy. The results demonstrate that MOF-derived oxides exhibit superior activity compared to their parent MOFs, highlighting the beneficial effect of thermal treatment on the exposure of active sites. Among the catalysts, heterometallic oxides showed enhanced performance due to synergistic effects between metals. In particular, FeZnO reached a maximum yield of 62.1% towards benzaldehyde at 150 °C and 30 min, outperforming the monometallic oxide. Recycling tests revealed that FeZnO retained higher overall performance than FeCuO, which suffered from progressive copper leaching. These findings confirm the potential of MOF-derived multimetallic oxides as efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalysts for selective biomass-derived alcohol oxidation. The combination of microwave-assisted processes and the tuneable nature of MOF-derived oxides provides a promising pathway for designing sustainable catalytic systems with industrial relevance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions)
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20 pages, 12870 KB  
Article
Modified Metal-Doped Fe-Al Catalysts for H2-Rich Syngas Production from Microwave-Assisted Gasification of HDPE Plastic
by Jingmo Zhou, Chaoyue Liu, Wenke Zhao, Faizan Ahmad and Yaning Zhang
Catalysts 2025, 15(11), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15111032 - 1 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 865
Abstract
This study pioneers the application of metal-doped Fe-Al as multifunctional redox catalysts for tunable syngas production from plastics via a microwave-assisted process (CLG). We rationally designed a series of redox catalysts (Ni, Ca, Ce, Sr, Co) to unlock efficient H2-rich syngas [...] Read more.
This study pioneers the application of metal-doped Fe-Al as multifunctional redox catalysts for tunable syngas production from plastics via a microwave-assisted process (CLG). We rationally designed a series of redox catalysts (Ni, Ca, Ce, Sr, Co) to unlock efficient H2-rich syngas production from (high-density polyethylene) HDPE. A class of metal-doping (Ni, Ca, Ce, Sr, and Co) Fe-Al redox catalysts was engineered, with Ni-doped Fe-Al (Ni-Fe-Al) exhibiting the excellent H2-rich syngas production (75.32 mmol/gHDPE syngas, 47.09 mmol/gHDPE H2). This is attributed to the improved redox activity, which facilitates efficient lattice oxygen transfer and catalytic reforming reactions, alongside improved microwave absorption and a porous structure that promotes reactant access. This strategic material design, coupled with process parameter optimization (800 W, redox catalyst/plastic = 2.0), developed a highly efficient HDPE-to-syngas conversion system. The process produced a high-quality syngas (90.03% H2 + CO, H2/CO ratio = 2.27) with a rapid heating rate (233.0 °C/min) and minimal energy input (3.52 kWh/molgas). This work provides not just an effective upcycling route for plastics, but a fundamental blueprint for designing advanced redox catalysts to unlock the full potential of microwave-CLG. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions)
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17 pages, 4609 KB  
Article
Faster Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Microspherical Carbons from Commercial and Biomass-Derived Carbohydrates
by Aroldo J. Romero-Anaya, M. Dolores González, Judith Granados-Reyes, Leví E. Arrieche-Hernández and Yolanda Cesteros
Catalysts 2025, 15(9), 885; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15090885 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1255
Abstract
Carbon microspheres were prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment, at 180 °C, of commercial carbohydrates (saccharose, glucose, and xylose) and xylose extract obtained from almond shells with varying synthesis parameters. When 1.6 M aqueous solutions of commercial carbohydrates were used, 2–10 μm carbon microspheres [...] Read more.
Carbon microspheres were prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment, at 180 °C, of commercial carbohydrates (saccharose, glucose, and xylose) and xylose extract obtained from almond shells with varying synthesis parameters. When 1.6 M aqueous solutions of commercial carbohydrates were used, 2–10 μm carbon microspheres were obtained from saccharose after 15 min, while a longer amount of time (60 min) and the addition of acid medium (1% v/v H2SO4, 1% v/v H3PO4) were needed to obtain carbon microspheres from commercial xylose and glucose (≤ 1 μm). The higher reactivity of saccharose could be related to the formation, during heating, of fructose, which is more reactive than glucose and xylose. An increase in the acid concentration and in the carbohydrate concentration increased the formation and size of the microspheres. Comparative experiments with conventional heating did not produce a solid. Interestingly, when xylose extract obtained from almond shells was used, small carbon microspheres (1–3 μm) were obtained at a much lower concentration (0.2 M) and time (15 min) than with commercial xylose. This could be related to the acid medium used during extraction of xylose from the biomass. Activation of microspheres with CO2 resulted in high-surface area materials (243–326 m2/g) with great potential as catalytic supports. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions)
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17 pages, 3269 KB  
Article
Microwave-Assisted Degradation of Azo Dyes Using NiO Catalysts
by Celinia de Carvalho Chan, Lamiaa F. Alsalem, Mshaal Almalki, Irina Bozhinovska, James S. Hayward, Stephen S. N. Williams and Jonathan K. Bartley
Catalysts 2025, 15(8), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15080702 - 24 Jul 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1535
Abstract
Catalysts are ubiquitous in manufacturing industries and gas phase pollutant abatement but are not widely used in wastewater treatment, as high temperatures and concentrated waste streams are needed to achieve the reaction degradation rates required. Heating water is energy intensive, and alternative, low [...] Read more.
Catalysts are ubiquitous in manufacturing industries and gas phase pollutant abatement but are not widely used in wastewater treatment, as high temperatures and concentrated waste streams are needed to achieve the reaction degradation rates required. Heating water is energy intensive, and alternative, low temperature solutions have been investigated, collectively known as advanced oxidation processes. However, many of these advanced oxidation processes use expensive oxidants such as perchlorate, hydroxy radicals or ozone to react with contaminants, and therefore have high running costs. This study has investigated microwave catalysis as a low-energy, low-cost technology for water treatment using NiO catalysts that can be heated in the microwave field to drive the decomposition of azo-dye contaminants. Using this methodology for the microwave-assisted degradation of two azo dyes (azorubine and methyl orange), conversions of >95% were achieved in only 10 s with 100 W microwave power. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Microwave-Assisted Catalysis: From Catalytic Materials to Catalytic Reactions)
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