Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 3400

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
National Institute of Materials Physics, Atomistilor Str. 405 A, 077125 Magurele, Romania
Interests: material science and nanotechnology; multifunctional materials; nano carbon; biomedical applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of multifunctional composites and hybrid materials represents one of the most dynamic and interdisciplinary frontiers in contemporary inorganic materials science. By combining inorganic components with other inorganic, organic, or bio-inspired phases, these materials enable the integration of multiple functionalities—structural, electrical, optical, magnetic, catalytic, thermal, or environmental—within a single engineered system.

Recent advances in synthesis strategies, interface engineering, and multiscale characterization have significantly expanded the design space of inorganic composites and hybrid materials. In particular, the controlled coupling between different phases at the nano- and microscale has opened new opportunities to tailor material properties beyond the limits of single-component systems. Such approaches are increasingly relevant for applications ranging from energy conversion and storage, environmental remediation, and catalysis, to sensing, optoelectronics, biomedical devices, and advanced structural materials.

This Special Issue of Inorganics, entitled “Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials”, aims to provide a comprehensive forum for the dissemination of recent theoretical and experimental advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of inorganic-based composite and hybrid materials. Contributions addressing fundamental aspects, such as structure–property relationships, interfacial phenomena, and multifunctional coupling mechanisms, as well as studies demonstrating innovative applications and performance enhancements enabled by hybrid or composite architectures are particularly welcome.

We invite researchers to submit original research articles, communications, and review papers covering (but not limited to) the following topics:

  • Inorganic–inorganic and inorganic–organic hybrid materials;
  • Nanocomposites and hierarchical composite architectures;
  • Functional interfaces and interphase engineering;
  • Multifunctional materials for energy, environmental, and catalytic applications;
  • Advanced characterization and modeling of composite and hybrid systems;
  • Processing, scalability, and durability of inorganic composites.

We hope this Special Issue will stimulate further research and foster interdisciplinary dialogue within the inorganic materials community.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Stefano Bellucci
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • multifunctional materials
  • inorganic composites
  • hybrid materials
  • nanocomposites
  • inorganic–organic hybrids
  • interface engineering
  • structure–property relationships
  • hierarchical materials
  • functional interfaces
  • advanced inorganic materials
  • energy-related materials
  • catalytic materials
  • environmental materials
  • smart and responsive materials
  • multiscale characterization

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1083 KB  
Article
A Biohybrid Catalyst for Cross-Coupling Reactions That Contains Pd/P.yeei@ORMOSIL
by Olga A. Kamanina, Vitaliy N. Soromotin, Pavel V. Rybochkin, Nina M. Ivanova, Anton N. Zvonarev and Vasilina V. Farofonova
Inorganics 2026, 14(4), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14040117 - 20 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1223
Abstract
This study demonstrates the feasibility of encapsulating Paracoccus yeei VKM B-3302 cells, which contain palladium nanoparticles, within an organosilicon matrix synthesized using the sol–gel method. The resulting organosilicon material is characterized by a well-developed porous structure and a high specific surface area, ensuring [...] Read more.
This study demonstrates the feasibility of encapsulating Paracoccus yeei VKM B-3302 cells, which contain palladium nanoparticles, within an organosilicon matrix synthesized using the sol–gel method. The resulting organosilicon material is characterized by a well-developed porous structure and a high specific surface area, ensuring the formation of a catalytic system with accessible active sites. Kinetic studies of the Mizoroki–Heck reaction showed that, although encapsulating the Pd/P. yeei catalyst in an organosilicon matrix slightly decreases its initial reaction rate, it increases the selectivity of the process and reduces the leaching of the active metal during repeated use. These results suggest the potential of encapsulating microorganisms containing metal nanoparticles in organosilicon materials to create stable hybrid catalytic systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials)
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17 pages, 2535 KB  
Article
Analytical Identification and Quantification of Phosphogypsum in Epoxy Resin Composites
by Jiangqin Wang, Xuehang Chen, Jiangang Zhang, Wanliang Yang and Tianxiang Li
Inorganics 2026, 14(4), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14040113 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 734
Abstract
Accurate quantification of phosphogypsum (PG) filler in epoxy composites is essential for quality control and performance optimization. Conventional separation by muffle furnace calcination suffers from slow epoxy decomposition and risks thermal degradation of CaSO4, leading to inaccurate PG quantification. This study [...] Read more.
Accurate quantification of phosphogypsum (PG) filler in epoxy composites is essential for quality control and performance optimization. Conventional separation by muffle furnace calcination suffers from slow epoxy decomposition and risks thermal degradation of CaSO4, leading to inaccurate PG quantification. This study introduces a microwave-assisted separation method that leverages molecular vibration heating to achieve faster heating rates and more uniform temperature distribution, enabling complete epoxy removal while minimizing CaSO4 decomposition. Comprehensive characterization (X-ray diffraction, XRD; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR; scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, SEM-EDS) confirms the structural integrity of the isolated PG filler. Among five quantification methods evaluated, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) based on sulfur content provides the highest accuracy (spike recovery: 91–99.8%, relative standard deviation, RSD ≤ 4.2%), while gravimetry suffices for single-filler systems. This work establishes a reliable analytical framework for PG characterization in epoxy composites, supporting quality control and resource valorization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials)
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23 pages, 3131 KB  
Article
Role of ZrO2 and Porosity Induced by Activated Carbon and Starch Templates in NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2 Catalysts for Naphthalene Hydrogenation and 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene Hydrodesulfurization
by Esneyder Puello Polo, Elíseo Díaz Varela and Carlos A. T. Toloza
Inorganics 2026, 14(4), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14040109 - 11 Apr 2026
Viewed by 777
Abstract
The influence of zirconia incorporation and template type on the physicochemical properties of NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2 catalysts was investigated for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) and the hydrogenation (HYD) of naphthalene (N). Catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation on supports [...] Read more.
The influence of zirconia incorporation and template type on the physicochemical properties of NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2 catalysts was investigated for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) and the hydrogenation (HYD) of naphthalene (N). Catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation on supports synthesized via a sol-gel method using starch (A) and activated carbon (C) as structure-directing templates, followed by zirconium incorporation through a grafting procedure. The resulting materials were characterized by SEM–EDX, N2 physisorption, H2-TPR, XPS, HRTEM, and pyridine-FTIR. SEM-EDX confirmed homogeneous metal distributions and compositions close to nominal values (Mo = 20 wt%, Ni = 5 wt%, Zr = 11 wt%) with Ni/(Ni + Mo) = 0.30. N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms correspond to type IV(a) with H3-H4 hysteresis loops, characteristic of mesoporous structures. After metal incorporation, surface areas decreased to 96 m2 g−1 for NiMo/Al2O3 and 81 m2 g−1 for Zr-modified catalysts, while the activated carbon-templated sample preserved a larger mesoporous volume (0.335 cm3 g−1) and higher macroporosity (72%). H2-TPR profiles indicated improved reducibility for Zr-containing catalysts. XPS revealed an increase of MoS2 species from 45% in NiMo/Al2O3 to 75% in NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2(C), accompanied by a higher degree of sulfidation index (DSI) from 47.1% to 73.9%. HRTEM analysis of Zr-modified catalysts revealed longer MoS2 slabs (11.8–12.1 nm) and higher edge-to-corner ratios (17–17.4) compared with NiMo/Al2O3 (6.2 nm; fe/fc = 8.2). Pyridine-FTIR showed a substantial increase in total acidity from 91 to 421 μmol g−1 upon Zr addition. Catalytically, NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2(C) exhibited the highest HDS conversion (40%), reaction rate (10.5 × 10−9 mol s−1 g−1), and TOF (4.69 × 10−5 s−1), whereas NiMo/Al2O3-ZrO2(A) reached the highest naphthalene conversion (97.18%), with a reaction rate of 27.4 × 10−7 mol s−1 g−1 and TOF of 12.9 × 10−3 s−1. These results demonstrate that Zr incorporation and the activated carbon template favored hydrodesulfurization, whereas the starch template promoted hydrogenation performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials)
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22 pages, 6410 KB  
Article
Characterization of Fe-CDs/Mn-CeO2 and Its Colorimetric Sensing Studies of H2O2, Glu, and GSH
by Naifeng Chen, Yi Li, Chenxia Gao, Chao Xue, Shuang Liu, Jinghang Li, Xi Cao, Kuilin Lv and Yuguang Lv
Inorganics 2026, 14(3), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14030088 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 365
Abstract
This study systematically investigated the characterization of 2Fe-CDs/12Mn-CeO2 composites and the colorimetric sensing properties of H2O2, glucose (Glu), and glutathione (GSH). The morphology, structure, and optical properties of the 2Fe-CDs/12Mn-CeO2 composite were analyzed in detail by XRD, [...] Read more.
This study systematically investigated the characterization of 2Fe-CDs/12Mn-CeO2 composites and the colorimetric sensing properties of H2O2, glucose (Glu), and glutathione (GSH). The morphology, structure, and optical properties of the 2Fe-CDs/12Mn-CeO2 composite were analyzed in detail by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy, and its formation was supported by multiple complementary characterization techniques. The catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of the nanozyme is 152-fold higher than natural HRP under optimal conditions and remains 59-fold higher even after temperature normalization to 25 °C. In the colorimetric sensing experiments, the detection limits of Fe-CDs/Mn-CeO2 were 0.21 μM, 2.7 μM, and 0.63 μM for H2O2, Glu, and GSH, respectively. Rapid and accurate determination of the concentrations of these biomolecules can be achieved by observing the color changes after Fe-CDs/Mn-CeO2 reaction with the objects to be measured. The experimental results show that Fe-CDs/Mn-CeO2 have high sensitivity and selectivity for H2O2, Glu, and GSH, which provides a solid theoretical and experimental basis for the application of Fe-CDs/Mn-CeO2 in the field of biosensing and medical diagnosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Composites and Hybrid Materials)
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