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Inorganics
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Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications
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Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications

A special issue of Inorganics (ISSN 2304-6740). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 9492

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Guan-Ting Pan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
Interests: crystalline; electrodes; cobalt; electrochemical deposition technique; electronic characterization; electrical properties
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Chao-Ming Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Advanced Applied Materials Engineering, Kun Shan University, Tainan 71070, Taiwan
Interests: electrochemical catalyst; rechargeable battery; ceramic material

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Until today, inorganic nanomaterials for energy conversion and catalysis have become increasingly significant in academic research and industrial applications compared to before, such as in air purification, wastewater treatment, bacterial disinfection, and medical science. This is primarily due to unique properties such as their nanoporosity, optical absorption, intense crystalline phases, high specific surface areas, nanomorphology, and high oxidation. Hence, they play a vital role in the successful design of composite catalysts with enhanced efficiency and selectivity and a steady catalytic activity.

This Special Issue aims to track the most recent advances in inorganic nanomaterials in energy conversion and catalysis applications by hosting a mix of original research articles and comprehensive reviews.

Dr. Guan-Ting Pan
Prof. Dr. Chao-Ming Huang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Inorganics 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.

Keywords

  • catalysis
  • composites
  • nanoparticles
  • band gap
  • electron transfer
  • characterization
  • electrochemistry
  • catalysis applications

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 4566 KiB  
Article
Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue by Yb3+-Doped 3D Nanosheet Arrays BiOI Anchored on High-Chloride Fly Ash Composites
by Shuxian Qiu, Danhua Zhao, Runtong Luo, Xiaohong Liu, Jianping Yang, Lijun Xie, Xingyuan Gao and Liaochuan Jiang
Inorganics 2025, 13(5), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13050147 - 6 May 2025
Viewed by 169
Abstract
A Yb3+-doped BiOI 3D nanosheet array composite was successfully fabricated through a solvothermal deposition strategy on flexible carbon cloth (CC). This composite was subsequently integrated with high-chlorine fly ash (FA) blocks to form the Yb-BiOI/CC/FA hybrid material. Comprehensive characterization was performed [...] Read more.
A Yb3+-doped BiOI 3D nanosheet array composite was successfully fabricated through a solvothermal deposition strategy on flexible carbon cloth (CC). This composite was subsequently integrated with high-chlorine fly ash (FA) blocks to form the Yb-BiOI/CC/FA hybrid material. Comprehensive characterization was performed using multiple analytical techniques for crystalline phase identification, morphological analysis, valence state, band structure evaluation, and charge carrier separation assessment. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to evaluate the material’s electronic properties. Experimental results demonstrated superior photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation, with the Yb-BiOI/CC/FA composite achieving 52.87% methylene blue degradation efficiency. The reaction rate constant of this modified nanomaterial was approximately 2.1 times higher than that of pristine BiOI/CC/FA. Radical trapping experiments revealed that superoxide radicals (·O2−) served as the predominant oxidative species. This study presents a dual-benefit strategy for environmental remediation by simultaneously achieving sustainable waste valorization of industrial byproducts (FA) and developing high-efficiency photocatalytic materials. The successful integration of rare-earth metal modification with substrate engineering provides valuable insights for designing advanced photocatalytic systems for pollutant degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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11 pages, 7161 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Optoelectronic Properties of Multicrystalline Silicon Using Dual Treatments for Solar Cell Applications
by Karim Choubani, Yasmin Zouari, Ameny El Haj, Achref Mannai, Mohammed A. Almeshaal, Wissem Dimassi and Mohamed Ben Rabha
Inorganics 2025, 13(5), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13050142 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 139
Abstract
Surface texturing is vital for enhancing light absorption and optimizing the optoelectronic properties of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) samples. Texturing significantly improves light absorption by minimizing reflectance and extending the effective path length of incident light. Furthermore, porous silicon treatment on textured mc-Si surfaces [...] Read more.
Surface texturing is vital for enhancing light absorption and optimizing the optoelectronic properties of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) samples. Texturing significantly improves light absorption by minimizing reflectance and extending the effective path length of incident light. Furthermore, porous silicon treatment on textured mc-Si surfaces offers additional advantages, including enhanced carrier generation, reduced surface recombination, and improved light emission. In this study, a dual treatment combining porous silicon and texturing was employed as an effective approach to enhance the optical and optoelectronic properties of mc-Si. Both porous silicon and texturing were achieved through a chemical etching process. After these surface modifications, the morphology and structure of mc-Si were examined using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis-IR spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), WCT-120 photo-conductance lifetime measurements, and Two-Internal Quantum Efficiency (IQE) analysis. The results reveal a substantial improvement in the material’s properties. The total reflectivity dropped from 35% to approximately 5%, while the effective minority carrier lifetime increased from 2 µs for bare mc-Si to 36 µs after treatment. Additionally, the two-dimensional IQE value rose from 35% for the untreated sample to 66% after treatment, representing an enhancement of around 31%. These findings highlight the potential of surface engineering techniques in optimizing mc-Si for photovoltaic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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18 pages, 8401 KiB  
Article
Mg2(Co1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3), Mg2(Cu1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3), Mg2(Co1/3Cu1/3Fe1/3), Mg2(Co1/3Cu1/3Ni1/3), and Mg2(Co1/4Cu1/4Fe1/4Ni1/4) Materials for Hydrogen Storage
by Eduardo David Ruiz-Santacruz, Paula del Carmen Cintrón Núñez, Nidia Libia Torres García and Karina Suárez-Alcántara
Inorganics 2025, 13(5), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13050135 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 197
Abstract
Hydrogen is a promising energy vector; however, its storage in solid-state materials is still an unresolved problem. Hydrogen storage on Mg-based materials is an ongoing research area. Here, five materials, Mg2(Co1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3), Mg2(Cu1/3 [...] Read more.
Hydrogen is a promising energy vector; however, its storage in solid-state materials is still an unresolved problem. Hydrogen storage on Mg-based materials is an ongoing research area. Here, five materials, Mg2(Co1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3), Mg2(Cu1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3), Mg2(Co1/3Cu1/3Fe1/3), Mg2(Co1/3Cu1/3Ni1/3), and Mg2(Co1/4Cu1/4Fe1/4Ni1/4), are reported for hydrogen storage. The hydriding and dehydriding reactions in these materials proceed via two steps. The first step is associated with the Mg/MgH2 equilibrium, while the second step is related to the simultaneous formation of mixtures of hydrided Mg-intermetallics. All of the studied materials demonstrate easy hydriding in mild conditions (15 bar, 300 °C). Mg2(Co1/3Fe1/3Ni1/3) can be considered the best material among the studied series, with a hydrogen storage capacity of 3.8 wt. % and a dehydriding onset temperature of 243 °C. The presence of Cu modified the equilibrium pressure of the second hydriding step and induced partial dehydriding at 250 °C in pressure-composition isothermal testing. The presence of Fe favored the hydrogen uptake in the first hydriding reaction, from 0.5 wt. % at the material without Fe to 1.1–2.2 wt. % in the Fe materials. The elements Co, Co, Cu, and Fe demonstrated synergistic effects on hydriding/dehydriding reactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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17 pages, 1754 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Semicrystalline/Nanocrystalline UiO-66-Type Zr-MOFs as Photodegraders of Rhodamine B
by Jemal M. Yassin, Abi M. Taddesse and Manuel Sánchez-Sánchez
Inorganics 2025, 13(5), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13050131 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 786
Abstract
UiO-type Zr-BDC MOFs have garnered the interest of the scientific community due to their exceptional diversity in composition, structure, and chemical environment, as well as their high thermal and chemical stabilities. This work demonstrates the sustainable synthesis of a series of nanocrystalline/semicrystalline UiO-66(Zr) [...] Read more.
UiO-type Zr-BDC MOFs have garnered the interest of the scientific community due to their exceptional diversity in composition, structure, and chemical environment, as well as their high thermal and chemical stabilities. This work demonstrates the sustainable synthesis of a series of nanocrystalline/semicrystalline UiO-66(Zr) metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) under facile conditions—specifically at room temperature, in water, with high yield, and without the use of modulators or toxic byproducts. The synthesis involves either deprotonating the linker or utilizing various ratios of water and DMF as solvents. The as-prepared materials obtained from both synthesis strategies share key structural features with conventional UiO-66(Zr) in their short- and medium-range physicochemical properties, while exhibiting significant differences in crystallinity and textural properties. Nonetheless, the materials generally lack long-range order (semicrystalline), in particular these synthesized following the deprotonation strategy. However, the materials prepared using mixed solvent strategy seem to exhibit characteristics of nanocrystalline UiO-66(Zr). Overall, both approaches successfully addressed various synthesis challenges related to the highly sought-after Zr-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Some of these MOF materials were tested for the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under mercury light irradiation, evidencing high photocatalytic efficiency of up to 75 ± 0.078% within 120 min under the pseudo-first-order model. This suggests an interaction between the photocatalyst and the RhB dye, involving electron injection from RhB and the ability for ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT), which enhances the efficient photocatalytic degradation of RhB. The trapping experiments indicated that superoxide radicals (•O2−) and photogenerated holes (h+) are crucial in the photodegradation of RhB. Moreover, the materials showed good recyclability across five tested cycles. A plausible photocatalytic reaction mechanism has been proposed to explain these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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15 pages, 2766 KiB  
Article
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Pd/g-C3N4 for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfamethoxazole
by Lan-Anh T. Hoang, Trinh Duy Nguyen and Taeyoon Lee
Inorganics 2025, 13(4), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13040118 - 8 Apr 2025
Viewed by 252
Abstract
Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is a widely used antibiotic for bacterial infections and is frequently found in surface waters and wastewater treatment plant effluents, where it is commonly co-administered with trimethoprim. Because of its emerging ecological and health risks, the development of effective elimination strategies [...] Read more.
Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is a widely used antibiotic for bacterial infections and is frequently found in surface waters and wastewater treatment plant effluents, where it is commonly co-administered with trimethoprim. Because of its emerging ecological and health risks, the development of effective elimination strategies is urgently required. In this study, a rapid microwave-assisted technique was employed to synthesize a Pd/g-C3N4 photocatalyst for the elimination of SMX in aqueous solution. The structure and optical properties of all samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performance of Pd/g-C3N4 was systematically evaluated under visible-light irradiation. The results demonstrated that Pd/g-C3N4 achieved a 97% removal efficiency, significantly outperforming pure g-C3N4, which reached only 57% removal. The degradation rate constant for Pd/g-C3N4 was calculated to be 0.0139 min−1, approximately 6.6 times higher than that of bare g-C3N4. This enhanced performance is attributed to the incorporation of Pd nanoparticles, which effectively suppressed the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and promoted charge separation. The influence of key operational parameters, including pH, SMX concentration, and catalyst dose, were systematically examined. Furthermore, the photocatalytic mechanism of the Pd/g-C3N4 photocatalyst was explored to elucidate its degradation pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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13 pages, 6588 KiB  
Article
Direct Synthesis of LiAlH4 from Ti-Doped Active LiAl Alloy
by Yan Chu, Shiwei Fang, Yingjue Chen, Xiaoqi Zhang, Jie Zheng, Zhenglong Li, Wubin Du, Wengang Cui, Jian Miao, Yaxiong Yang, Yongfeng Liu, Mingxia Gao and Hongge Pan
Inorganics 2025, 13(3), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13030074 - 1 Mar 2025
Viewed by 528
Abstract
LiAlH4, characterized by high hydrogen capacity and metastable properties, is regarded as a promising hydrogen source under mild conditions. However, its reversible regeneration from dehydrogenated production is hindered thermodynamically and kinetically. Herein, we demonstrate an active Li–Al–Ti nanocrystalline alloy prepared by [...] Read more.
LiAlH4, characterized by high hydrogen capacity and metastable properties, is regarded as a promising hydrogen source under mild conditions. However, its reversible regeneration from dehydrogenated production is hindered thermodynamically and kinetically. Herein, we demonstrate an active Li–Al–Ti nanocrystalline alloy prepared by melt spinning and cryomilling to enable directly synthesizing nano-LiAlH4. Due to the non-equilibrium preparation methods, the grain/particle size of the alloy was reduced, stress defects were introduced, and the dispersion of the Ti catalyst was promoted. The refined Li–Al–Ti nanocrystalline alloy with abundant defects and uniform catalytic sites demonstrated a high reactivity of the particle surface, thereby enhancing hydrogen absorption and desorption kinetics. Nano-LiAlH4 was directly obtained by ball milling a 5% Ti containing Li–Al–Ti nanocrystalline alloy with a grain size of 17.4 nm and Al3Ti catalytic phase distributed under 20 bar hydrogen pressure for 16 h. The obtained LiAlH4 exhibited room temperature dehydrogenation performance and good reversibility. This finding provides a potential strategy for the non-solvent synthesis and direct hydrogenation of metastable LiAlH4 hydrogen storage materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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15 pages, 5450 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized g-C3N4/BiOI Bifunctional Heterojunction for Enhanced Photocatalytic Removal of Tartrazine and PEC Oxygen Evolution Reaction
by Sridharan Balu, Harikrishnan Venkatesvaran, Chien-Chih Wang, Joon Ching Juan and Thomas Chung-Kuang Yang
Inorganics 2024, 12(9), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics12090243 - 5 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1280
Abstract
A Z-scheme heterojunction photo(electro)catalyst was fabricated by coupling sulfonic acid-modified graphitic carbon nitride (SA-g-CN) with bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI). The SA-g-CN component was prepared via wet-impregnation, while BiOI was synthesized through a hydrothermal method. Comprehensive characterization elucidated the structural and morphological properties of the [...] Read more.
A Z-scheme heterojunction photo(electro)catalyst was fabricated by coupling sulfonic acid-modified graphitic carbon nitride (SA-g-CN) with bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI). The SA-g-CN component was prepared via wet-impregnation, while BiOI was synthesized through a hydrothermal method. Comprehensive characterization elucidated the structural and morphological properties of the resulting composite. The SA-g-CN/BiOI exhibited exceptional performance in both photocatalytic degradation of tartrazine (TTZ) and photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Notably, 98.26% TTZ removal was achieved within 60 min of irradiation, while an OER onset potential of 0.94 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and a high photocurrent density of 6.04 mA were recorded under AM 1.5G illumination. Band energy calculations based on Mott–Schottky measurements confirmed the formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction, which facilitated efficient charge separation and transfer, thereby enhancing catalytic activity. These findings establish the SA-g-CN/BiOI composite as a promising candidate for sustainable energy generation and environmental remediation applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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24 pages, 7873 KiB  
Article
CuFe2O4 Nanofiber Incorporated with a Three-Dimensional Graphene Sheet Composite Electrode for Supercapacitor and Electrochemical Sensor Application
by Sivaramakrishnan Vinothini, Arjunan Karthi Keyan, Subramanian Sakthinathan, Te-Wei Chiu and Naratip Vittayakorn
Inorganics 2024, 12(6), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics12060164 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1698
Abstract
The demand for regenerative energy and electric automotive applications has grown in recent decades. Supercapacitors have multiple applications in consumer alternative electronic products due to their excellent energy density, rapid charge/discharge time, and safety. CuFe2O4-incorporated three-dimensional graphene sheet (3DGS) [...] Read more.
The demand for regenerative energy and electric automotive applications has grown in recent decades. Supercapacitors have multiple applications in consumer alternative electronic products due to their excellent energy density, rapid charge/discharge time, and safety. CuFe2O4-incorporated three-dimensional graphene sheet (3DGS) nanocomposites were studied by different characterization studies such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical studies were based on cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. As prepared, 3DGS/CuFe2O4 nanocomposites exhibited an excellent surface area, high energy storage with appreciable durability, and excellent electrocatalysis properties. A supercapacitor with 3DGS/CuFe2O4-coated nickel foam (NF) electrodes exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 488.98 Fg−1, a higher current density, as well as a higher power density. After charge–discharge cycles in a 2.0 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution, the 3DGS/CuFe2O4/NF electrodes exhibited an outstanding cyclic stability of roughly 95% at 10 Ag−1, indicating that the prepared nanocomposites could have the potential for energy storage applications. Moreover, the 3DGS/CuFe2O4 electrode exhibited an excellent electrochemical detection of chloramphenicol with a detection limit of 0.5 µM, linear range of 5–400 µM, and electrode sensitivity of 3.7478 µA µM−1 cm−2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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Review

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32 pages, 5535 KiB  
Review
Synthesis and Structural Engineering of Transition Metal Sulfides: Advances in Improving Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Catalytic Efficiency
by Yanhong Ding, Zhichao Gao and Haiyan Xiang
Inorganics 2025, 13(3), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13030084 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 691
Abstract
Transition metal sulfide (TMS)-based electrocatalysts have received considerable attention in the field of sustainable energy, especially for their high activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This review summarizes how researchers have improved the performance of TMSs by adjusting their composition. This review [...] Read more.
Transition metal sulfide (TMS)-based electrocatalysts have received considerable attention in the field of sustainable energy, especially for their high activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This review summarizes how researchers have improved the performance of TMSs by adjusting their composition. This review introduces the research background of transition metal sulfides and clarifies the reaction mechanism of the HER and its performance evaluation indicators. Then, it elaborates on the general synthesis techniques for preparing TMS materials, including hydrothermal methods, electrochemical deposition, liquid-phase exfoliation, chemical vapor deposition, and other methods. Moreover, it discusses the realization of excellent electrocatalytic performance in the HER through doping, hole treatment, heterostructures, and multi-sulfides. Finally, this review summarizes the current challenges and future development opportunities of TMS materials in the field of water electrolysis for hydrogen production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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29 pages, 10767 KiB  
Review
Emerging Carbon-Based Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Insights into Mechanisms and Applications
by Jing Guo, Yuqi Yao, Xin Yan, Xue Meng, Qing Wang, Yahui Zhang, Shengxue Yan, Xue Zhao and Shaohua Luo
Inorganics 2024, 12(12), 303; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics12120303 - 25 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2026
Abstract
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), as a key electrode process in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, plays a pivotal role in advancing clean energy technologies. However, the slow kinetics and high overpotential of the ORR significantly limit the efficiency of these energy devices. [...] Read more.
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), as a key electrode process in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, plays a pivotal role in advancing clean energy technologies. However, the slow kinetics and high overpotential of the ORR significantly limit the efficiency of these energy devices. Therefore, the development of efficient, stable, and cost-effective ORR catalysts has become a central focus of current research. Carbon-based catalysts, with their excellent conductivity, chemical stability, and tunable structural features, have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional precious metal catalysts. Nevertheless, challenges remain in the design of active sites, the tuning of electronic structures, and the large-scale synthesis of carbon-based catalysts. This review systematically introduces the fundamental mechanisms and key factors influencing the ORR, providing an analysis of the critical variables that affect catalyst performance. Furthermore, it summarizes several common methods for synthesizing carbon-based catalysts, including pyrolysis, deposition, and ball milling. Following this, the review categorizes and discusses the latest advancements in metal-free carbon-based catalysts, single-atom and dual-atom catalysts, as well as metal-based nanoparticle catalysts, with a particular focus on their mechanisms for enhancing the ORR performance. Finally, the current state of research on carbon-based ORR catalysts is summarized, and future development directions are proposed, emphasizing the optimization of active sites, improvements in catalyst stability, and potential strategies for large-scale applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications)
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