Advanced Catalytic Materials for Greener Production of Chemicals, Biofuels, and Solar Fuels

Dear Colleagues,

The reliance of the energy and chemical industries on fossil fuels significantly contributes to environmental problems, including climate change, global warming, and air pollution. Over the past decade, there has been a strong focus on developing innovative catalytic processes that provide sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based methods.

Biomass can serve as a renewable and versatile source of carbon for producing platform chemicals and biofuels. Advanced biofuels obtained from non-edible biomass sources can support sustainable development by significantly reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and promoting economic growth through their use in green technologies aligned with the circular economy. Key biomass feedstocks include lignocellulosic biomass, algae, and organic waste, which can be converted into platform molecules and advanced biofuels via thermochemical, catalytic, or photocatalytic processes. Catalysts are essential to these innovative and sustainable technologies, improving reaction efficiency and selectivity, minimizing waste, and reducing energy consumption.

In parallel, the production of solar fuels by photocatalysis, which mimics natural photosynthesis, has emerged as a promising strategy to directly convert abundant solar energy into chemical fuels, such as hydrogen- or carbon-based molecules. This approach offers a renewable and carbon-neutral pathway for clean fuel generation. By integrating advances in catalytic materials with solar energy conversion, this approach supports the transition toward a low-carbon energy future and enhances global energy security.

In this respect, we are pleased to announce this upcoming Special Issue of Catalysts titled, ‘Advanced Catalytic Materials for Greener Production of Chemicals, Biofuels, and Solar Fuels’, which aims to highlight cutting-edge research on the development and application of catalytic materials that contribute to sustainable energy solutions and environmental protection.

Scope and Topics

This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and communications on the following topics:

• Design and Synthesis of Advanced Catalytic Materials: Development of novel catalysts, such as single-atom catalysts, nanostructured materials, nanoparticles and multifunctional catalysts for efficient chemical transformations, including CO₂ capture and utilization.
• Catalytic Processes for Biofuels and Platform Chemicals Production: Innovative catalytic methods for converting biomass and waste materials into biofuels, emphasizing efficiency, selectivity, and scalability.
• Solar Fuels and Photocatalysis: Advances in photocatalytic systems for solar-powered fuel production, such as hydrogen and liquid fuels, CO₂ reduction, including new photocatalysts and reactor designs.
• Sustainability and Life Cycle Assessment: Assessing the environmental impact, economic viability, and scalability of catalytic processes for sustainable production of chemicals, biofuels, and solar fuels.

Dr. Katarzyna Morawa Eblagon
Dr. Eliana Sousa Da Silva
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.

• biomass
• heterogeneous catalysts
• biofuels
• solar fuels
• platform chemicals