Catalytic Technologies for Sustainable Energy Conversion

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Catalysis for Sustainable Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1178

Special Issue Editors

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Interests: solid waste upgrading and resource recovery; environmental biotechnology; green hydrogen; electrochemistry; LCA and TEA
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Guest Editor
School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
Interests: photocatalysis; electrocatalysis; CO2 reduction; water splitting; small molecule conversion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rise in global energy demands and the need for a sustainable, low-carbon future, the transition to sustainable energy systems is an inevitable path. Therefore, developing more efficient and scalable technologies to convert sustainable energy into clean, storable substances, such as hydrogen and biofuels, is one of the most challenging topics, in which catalysis plays a crucial role. This Special Issue aims to focus on the latest advances in catalyst design, mechanistic research, and process technologies for sustainable energy conversion and applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Catalysts for hydrogen production;
  • CO2 capture and utilization technologies;
  • Catalytic conversion of biomass and biomass-derived materials to value-added chemicals and fuels;
  • Advanced plastic recycling and upcycling technologies;
  • Catalysis in fuel cells and batteries;
  • Novel catalytic materials and mechanisms research for energy conversion;
  • Industrialization of sustainable energy conversion.

If you would like to submit papers for publication in this Special Issue or have any questions, please contact the in-house Editor, Ms. Georgie Guan (georgie.guan@mdpi.com).

Dr. Hu Zhao
Dr. Wenguang Tu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • sustainable energy conversion
  • green hydrogen
  • CO2 capture and utilization (CCU)
  • biomass upgrading and valorization
  • plastic recycling and upcycling
  • circular economy
  • fuel cell and battery catalysis
  • advanced catalytic materials
  • catalystic mechanism

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

16 pages, 3618 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Electrocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis: Integrating Electrolyte Effects, Structural Engineering, and Single-Atom Platforms
by HyungKuk Ju, Hyuck Jin Lee and Sungyool Bong
Catalysts 2026, 16(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16020149 - 3 Feb 2026
Viewed by 973
Abstract
The pursuit of sustainable ammonia production has accelerated the development of electrocatalytic pathways capable of operating under ambient conditions with renewable electricity. Recent studies have revealed that the efficiency and selectivity of both electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) and nitrate reduction reaction (eNO [...] Read more.
The pursuit of sustainable ammonia production has accelerated the development of electrocatalytic pathways capable of operating under ambient conditions with renewable electricity. Recent studies have revealed that the efficiency and selectivity of both electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) and nitrate reduction reaction (eNO3RR) are not governed solely by catalyst composition, but by the synergistic interplay among electrolyte identity, interfacial solvation structure, and catalyst architecture. Hydrated cations such as Li+ profoundly reshape the electric double layer, polarize interfacial water, and lower activation barriers for key proton–electron transfer steps, thereby redefining the electrolyte as an active promoter. Parallel advances in structural engineering, including alloying, heteroatom doping, controlled defect formation, and nanoscale morphological control, have enabled the optimization of intermediate adsorption energies while simultaneously suppressing competing hydrogen evolution. In addition, the emergence of metal–organic-framework (MOF)-derived single-atom catalysts has demonstrated that atomically dispersed transition-metal centers anchored within dynamically adaptable matrices can deliver exceptional Faradaic efficiencies, high turnover rates, and long-term operational durability. These developments highlight a unified strategy in which electrolyte–catalyst coupling, rational structural modification, and atomic-scale design principles converge to enable predictable and high-performance ammonia electrosynthesis. This review integrates mechanistic insights across these domains and outlines future directions for translating molecular-level understanding into scalable technologies for green ammonia production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Technologies for Sustainable Energy Conversion)
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