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Advances in Electrochemical Nanomaterials for Energy and Catalysis

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Nanoscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 892

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the global urgency in energy demand and the growing perseverance of environmental sustainability, the development of efficient, sustainable, and economically viable energy conversion and storage technologies has become a necessary priority. Electrochemical nanomaterials—materials engineered at the nanoscale specifically for electrochemical applications—offer distinct advantages, including a high surface-to-volume ratio, tunable physical and chemical properties, and improved catalytic performance. These materials are pivotal in enhancing the efficiency, selectivity, and durability of energy systems, including batteries, supercapacitors, photoelectrochemical water splitting, fuel cells, and overall water-splitting technologies. In parallel with nanoscale engineering, molecular-level research is increasingly critical to understanding and improving electrochemical processes. Insights into electron transfer mechanisms, ion transport pathways, and surface reaction kinetics at the atomic and molecular levels enable the rational design of nanomaterials with optimized performance. Advanced molecular modeling, in situ spectroscopy, and atomistic simulations allow researchers to investigate structure–property relationships, reaction intermediates, and degradation pathways that are otherwise elusive. Furthermore, the integration of molecular catalysts with nanostructured supports presents opportunities for hybrid systems that merge the selectivity of molecular chemistry with the robustness of nanomaterials.

This proposal examines recent progress in the design and application of electrochemical nanomaterials, with a particular focus on their roles in energy storage and conversion systems. It also highlights how molecular-level studies and approaches contribute to the mechanistic understanding and performance optimization of these technologies. The main objective of this Special Issue, “Advances in Electrochemical Nanomaterials for Energy and Catalysis”, is to provide a comprehensive and inclusive platform for researchers to present their latest findings and innovations in this rapidly evolving field. We welcome original research articles and review papers that address state-of-the-art developments in electrochemical materials. Contributions that offer interdisciplinary insights, particularly those combining nanotechnology with molecular chemistry, spectroscopy, and computational modeling, are particularly encouraged. Studies introducing novel methodologies, mechanisms, or material design principles that deepen our molecular-level understanding of energy-related electrochemical systems are also highly welcome.

Dr. Sankar Sekar
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • advanced micro- and nanomaterials for electrochemical applications
  • electrochemical energy storage
  • electrocatalysis
  • photoelectrochemical water splitting
  • electrochemical sensors
  • supercapacitor
  • batteries
  • nanocomposites and functionalized materials
  • energy storage and conversion application
  • natural resources-based materials

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 4041 KB  
Article
Boosted Hydrogen Evolution Catalysis Using Biomass-Derived Mesoporous Carbon Nanosponges
by Sankar Sekar, Sutha Sadhasivam, Atsaya Shanmugam, Saravanan Sekar, Youngmin Lee and Sejoon Lee
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(17), 8502; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26178502 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 690
Abstract
Carbon-based metal-free catalysts, particularly those such as biomass-derived mesoporous activated carbon (AC) nanostructures, hold great promises for cost-effective and sustainable electrocatalysis for enhancing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in green energy technology. Neem and ginkgo leaves are rich in bioactive compounds and self-doping [...] Read more.
Carbon-based metal-free catalysts, particularly those such as biomass-derived mesoporous activated carbon (AC) nanostructures, hold great promises for cost-effective and sustainable electrocatalysis for enhancing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance in green energy technology. Neem and ginkgo leaves are rich in bioactive compounds and self-doping heteroatoms with naturally porous structures and act as a low-cost, sustainable biomass precursors for high-performance HER catalysts. In this study, mesoporous AC nanoflakes and nanosponges were synthesized using biomass precursors of neem and ginkgo leaves through a KOH activation process. Notably, AC nanosponges derived from ginkgo leaves exhibited outstanding physicochemical characteristics, including a sponge-like porous morphology with a large specific surface area of 1025 m2/g. For electrochemical evaluation in 0.5 M H2SO4, the G-AC sample revealed superior electrocatalytic HER performance, with a remarkably low overpotential of 26 mV at −10 mA/cm2, a small Tafel slope of 24 mV/dec, and long-term durability over 30 h. These results depict biomass-derived mesoporous AC nanosponges to hold substantial potential for highly efficient hydrogen production, contributing significantly to the advancement of eco-friendly energy solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Electrochemical Nanomaterials for Energy and Catalysis)
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