Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Novel Solid-State Materials and Their Applications

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 842

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad Católica del Maule, Av. San Miguel 3605, Talca 34809112, Chile
Interests: structural chemistry; electrical properties; magnetic properties

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Basic Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
Interests: spinell; crystal structure; Raman scattering; energy-dispersive X-ray analysis; spintronic materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research on the synthesis, crystal structure, characterization and applications of novel solid-state materials. Solid-state materials play a fundamental role in developing emerging technologies, ranging from electronic and photovoltaic devices to catalysts and energy storage systems. Understanding the relationship between structure, properties and performance is essential for designing materials with enhanced functionalities tailored to specific technological demands.

This collection addresses diverse aspects of crystalline materials science, highlighting the importance of synthetic strategies, such as electrodeposition, chemical vapor deposition and solid-state reactions, in obtaining crystalline materials with controlled morphologies and properties. Special emphasis is placed on structure, crystal growth, morphology and micro- and nano-structuring. Characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, spectroscopic methods and thermal analysis, provide crucial insights into the structural and functional properties of these materials.

The articles included encompass different classes of materials, such as metal oxides, chalcogenides, two-dimensional materials, organic–inorganic hybrid compounds, perovskites and advanced semiconductors. Particular attention is given to technologically relevant applications addressing current challenges in energy sustainability, next-generation electronics, catalytic conversion, sensing technologies and environmental remediation. The manuscripts examine how novel materials can enhance the performance of solar cells, batteries, supercapacitors, photocatalysts and electronic components.

This Special Issue offers a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in solid-state crystalline materials research and establishes future directions for this multidisciplinary field. This compilation aims to inspire further innovations in materials design and accelerate the translation of fundamental discoveries into practical applications that benefit society and address global technological challenges.

Dr. Silvana Moris López
Dr. Patricia Barahona
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • solid-state synthesis
  • crystalline materials
  • structural characterization
  • structure–property relationships
  • application of solid-state materials

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 4289 KB  
Article
Rare-Earth-Induced Structural Modulation of NiFe2O4 for High-Energy Asymmetric Supercapacitor Devices
by Rutuja U. Amate, Pritam J. Morankar, Aviraj M. Teli, Sonali A. Beknalkar and Chan-Wook Jeon
Crystals 2026, 16(4), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16040250 - 9 Apr 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 532
Abstract
The rational design of electrode materials with tailored composition and architecture is crucial for advancing high-capability electrochemical energy storage systems. This study reports that gadolinium-modified NiFe2O4 nanosheet electrodes were effectively synthesized on nickel foam via a hydrothermal approach followed by [...] Read more.
The rational design of electrode materials with tailored composition and architecture is crucial for advancing high-capability electrochemical energy storage systems. This study reports that gadolinium-modified NiFe2O4 nanosheet electrodes were effectively synthesized on nickel foam via a hydrothermal approach followed by thermal treatment. A series of compositions (NiFe, NiFe–Gd1, NiFe–Gd2, and NiFe–Gd3) were prepared to systematically examine the effect of Gd incorporation on structural features and electrochemical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of the cubic spinel NiFe2O4 phase without detectable secondary phases, indicating that the crystal structure remains intact after Gd introduction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) further verified the presence of Ni2+, Fe3+, and Gd3+ species within the lattice environment. Morphological analysis using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed a nanosheet-based architecture, where the optimized NiFe–Gd2 electrode exhibited a porous and interconnected nanosheet framework with abundant exposed edges. This structural configuration improves electrolyte penetration and facilitates efficient ion transport during charge storage processes. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the NiFe–Gd2 electrode delivers an areal capacitance of 5235 mF cm−2 at 10 mA cm−2, along with improved reaction kinetics and low internal resistance. An asymmetric supercapacitor assembled using NiFe–Gd2 as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode operated stably within a 0–1.5 V potential window, achieving an energy density of 0.136 mWh cm−2 and a power density of 3.14 mW cm−2, while retaining 86.55% of its initial capacitance after 7000 cycles. These results highlight the potential of rare-earth engineering as a viable strategy for designing advanced spinel ferrite electrodes and pave the way for the development of high-performance, durable, and scalable supercapacitor systems for practical energy storage applications. Full article
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