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Advanced Functional Materials for Catalysis and Storage

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1805

Special Issue Editor

Marine Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China
Interests: energy catalysis; environment catalysis; high-entropy materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The escalating global energy demand and the pressing need to mitigate environmental impacts are driving the quest for sustainable energy solutions. Central to this transition are advanced functional materials that enable efficient energy conversion and storage. Catalytic transformation of small molecules—such as CO2, CO, CH4, NOx, NH3, N2, and H2O—through thermal-, photo-, photoelectro- and electro-catalytic processes represents a pivotal pathway for producing renewable fuels and value-added chemicals while also addressing environmental remediation. Concurrently, advancements in energy storage technologies, including next-generation batteries and hydrogen storage materials, are critical for ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply.

This Special Issue aims to capture the forefront of research in the design, synthesis, and application of novel functional materials driving these technologies. A particular focus is placed on the molecular-level understanding and manipulation of materials, which underpin their catalytic and storage performance. We invite contributions that explore innovative molecular design, mechanistic insights, and advanced characterization to enhance performance in small molecule activation and energy storage. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, photocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, electrocatalysis, thermal catalysis, battery materials, and hydrogen storage.

We warmly invite you to submit your original research or review articles to this Special Issue to help advance the frontiers of functional materials for a sustainable energy future.

Dr. Kaixin Zhu
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • functional materials
  • energy catalysis
  • small molecule conversion
  • energy storage

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

18 pages, 2332 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Photoelectrochemical Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia
by Kaixin Zhu and Hefeng Zhang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(1), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27010470 - 1 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1534
Abstract
Ammonia, as an essential chemical, plays an indispensable role in both industry and agriculture. However, the traditional Haber–Bosch technique for ammonia synthesis suffers from high energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions. Therefore, developing an energy-efficient and eco-friendly method for ammonia production is [...] Read more.
Ammonia, as an essential chemical, plays an indispensable role in both industry and agriculture. However, the traditional Haber–Bosch technique for ammonia synthesis suffers from high energy consumption and significant CO2 emissions. Therefore, developing an energy-efficient and eco-friendly method for ammonia production is imperative. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) nitrate reduction to ammonia has emerged as a promising green alternative, which utilizes renewable solar energy to convert nitrate into valuable ammonia, thereby contributing to nitrogen recycling and wastewater remediation. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in PEC nitrate reduction to ammonia, focusing on the rational design of efficient photocathodes with the development of semiconductor materials, cocatalysts, p–n junction and heterostructure strategies. Furthermore, the integration of photocathodes with photoanodes enables the assembly of bias-free PEC systems capable of simultaneously producing ammonia and value-added chemicals, demonstrating the potential for scalable solar-driven ammonia synthesis. The mechanistic studies and future research directions are also discussed. The review aims to offer valuable insights and promote the further development of PEC nitrate reduction to ammonia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Functional Materials for Catalysis and Storage)
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