Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.1
3.0
Journals
Inorganics
Special Issues
Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd...
share announcement

Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 3789

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Guan-Ting Pan

E-Mail
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 Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Inorganic nanomaterials for energy conversion and in catalysis are receiving increasing interest in academic research and industrial applications. Present and potential applications include air purification, wastewater treatment, bacterial disinfection, and medical science. This is primarily due to their unique properties such as nanoporosity, modulated optical absorption, high crystallinity, high specific surface areas, nanomorphology, and multiple oxidation states. Therefore, they play a vital role in the successful design of composite catalysts with enhanced conversion and selectivity of chemical reactions.

Given the success of the first edition of this Special Issue, a second volume has been launched, seeking to gather original research papers and comprehensive review articles focusing on the most recent advances in inorganic nanomaterials in energy conversion and catalytic applications. 

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

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. 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
  • composite
  • nanoparticles
  • band gap
  • electron transfer
  • characterization
  • electrochemistry
  • applications of catalysis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 2628 KB  
Article
Electrical Properties and Charge Transfer Mechanisms in Nanoscale Anodic TiO2 Films at Low Applied Voltages
by Vyacheslav A. Moshnikov, Ekaterina N. Muratova, Igor A. Vrublevsky, Alexandr I. Maximov, Andrey A. Ryabko, Alena Yu. Gagarina and Dmitry A. Kozodaev
Inorganics 2026, 14(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics14010029 - 17 Jan 2026
Viewed by 75
Abstract
The current–voltage characteristics (IVCs) of anodic TiO2 films in a thin-film structure (Carbon paste/TiO2/Ti/Al) were investigated in the temperature range of T = 80–300 K with bias voltages from −0.5 V to +0.5 V. Anodic oxide film, with a thickness [...] Read more.
The current–voltage characteristics (IVCs) of anodic TiO2 films in a thin-film structure (Carbon paste/TiO2/Ti/Al) were investigated in the temperature range of T = 80–300 K with bias voltages from −0.5 V to +0.5 V. Anodic oxide film, with a thickness of 14 nm, was obtained by electrochemical oxidation of Ti at a voltage of 10 V. The obtained data for various temperatures showed that the IVCs in the forward (negative on the Ti electrode) and reverse (positive on the Ti electrode) bias of the thin film structure are not symmetrical. Based on the analysis, three temperature ranges (sections) were identified in which the IVCs differ in their behavior. Examination of the IVCs revealed that the conductivity mechanism in Section I (temperature range from 298 to 263 K) is determined by the Space Charge Limited Current (SCLC). Section II, in the temperature range from 243 to 203 K, is characterized by the onset of conductivity involving donor centers, in the case where the concentration of electrons on traps is significantly higher than the concentration of electrons in the conduction band. In Section III, within the temperature range from 183 to 90 K, the conduction mechanism is the Poole–Frenkel process involving donor centers. These donor centers are located below the level of traps in the forbidden band. The results obtained indicate that anodic TiO2 is an n-type semiconductor, in the bandgap of which there are both electron traps and donor centers formed by anionic (oxygen) vacancies. The different behavior of the characteristic energy with different sample biasing in the case of the Poole–Frenkel mechanism indicates a two-layer structure of anodic TiO2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1510 KB  
Article
Enhanced Gettering of Multicrystalline Silicon Using Nanowires for Solar Cell Applications
by Achref Mannai, Karim Choubani, Wissem Dimassi and Mohamed Ben Rabha
Inorganics 2025, 13(11), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13110374 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 615
Abstract
In this work, we present a gettering technique for multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) by combining a nanowire structure with thermal treatment under nitrogen in an infrared lamp furnace. The silicon nanowires were elaborated using the Silver Nanoparticles Chemical Etching (Ag-NPsCE) technique. The optimal conditions [...] Read more.
In this work, we present a gettering technique for multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) by combining a nanowire structure with thermal treatment under nitrogen in an infrared lamp furnace. The silicon nanowires were elaborated using the Silver Nanoparticles Chemical Etching (Ag-NPsCE) technique. The optimal conditions for achieving effective gettering were determined based on the minority carrier lifetime (τeff) measurements. The results show τeff as a function of the gettering temperature and etching time, both before and after the removal of Ag nanoparticles using HNO3. In both cases, the surface was identically treated with a 10% HF dip immediately prior to the carrier lifetime measurements. The highest τeff value, prior to Ag removal, was obtained after an etching duration of 3 min and was 6 µs at an excess carrier density Δn = 1 × 1014 cm−3. Moreover, τeff improves after silver removal. Therefore, removing Ag atoms using an aqueous HNO3 solution is necessary to prevent this issue. Following Ag nanoparticle removal, τeff further increases, reaching 19 µs at a gettering temperature of 850 °C. Similarly, the electrical conductivity (ρ) and carrier mobility (μ) improve significantly after gettering, where the resistivity increases from 5.5 Ω·cm for the reference mc-Si to 1.9 Ω·cm, and the mobility rises from 122 cm2·V−1·s−1 to 253 cm2·V−1·s−1 after nanowire-based gettering at 850 °C. Overall, this method provides a scalable, practical, and cost-effective route to optimize mc-Si for high-performance photovoltaic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 8169 KB  
Article
The Electrochemical Performance of Co3O4 Electrodes with Platinum Nanoparticles for Chlorine Evolution
by Guan-Ting Pan and Aleksandar N. Nikoloski
Inorganics 2025, 13(11), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13110355 - 28 Oct 2025
Viewed by 795
Abstract
Different morphologies of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) electrodes were prepared through the electrochemical deposition technique with various electrodeposition times from 10 min to 50 min. Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were deposited on the Co3O4 electrodes through sputter coating. [...] Read more.
Different morphologies of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) electrodes were prepared through the electrochemical deposition technique with various electrodeposition times from 10 min to 50 min. Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were deposited on the Co3O4 electrodes through sputter coating. The crystallographic, microstructural, surface functional, textural–structural, and electric properties of the Co3O4 electrodes were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis identified a pure cubic Co3O4 crystal structure in the samples. In the electrodeposition process, the microstructure of the electrodes varied from hierarchical 3D flower-like to 2D hexagonal porous nanoplates due to an increase in oxygen vacancies. The carrier densities of all samples were between 5.77 × 1014 cm−3 and 8.77 × 1014 cm−3. The flat band potentials of all samples were between −5.91 V and −6.21 V vs. an absolute electron potential, and the potential values for electrodes became more positive as the oxygen vacancy concentration in the film structure increased. The 2D hexagonal porous nanoplate Pt/Co3O4 electrodes offered the highest oxygen vacancies and thus the maximum current density of 102.66 mA/cm2, with an external potential set at 1.5 V vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

31 pages, 15662 KB  
Review
Prussian Blue Analogues and Their Derivatives for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A Review on Active Site Engineering Strategies
by Zhen Cao, Haozhe Shi, Tingting Zhou, Wenhui Yan, Jiahong Song, Pengqi Feng, Kaili Wang and Zaiyong Jiang
Inorganics 2025, 13(11), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics13110354 - 28 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1963
Abstract
The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a kinetic bottleneck in electrochemical water splitting, creating an urgent need for the development of efficient electrocatalysts. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), a significant class of inorganic coordination polymers, have emerged as excellent precursors and pre-catalysts for preparing [...] Read more.
The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a kinetic bottleneck in electrochemical water splitting, creating an urgent need for the development of efficient electrocatalysts. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), a significant class of inorganic coordination polymers, have emerged as excellent precursors and pre-catalysts for preparing various OER nanocatalysts, owing to their numerous advantages such as tunable composition, controllable morphology, and structural derivability. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in PBA-based OER electrocatalysts, beginning with two core strategies: enhancing active site accessibility and utilization, and improving the intrinsic activity of each active site. We provide an in-depth discussion of the design principles for enhancing active site accessibility and utilization through constructing porous architectures, creating hierarchical porosity, and improving electrical conductivity. The review also details key approaches for improving intrinsic activity, including regulating electronic structure via elemental doping and optimizing active sites via defect engineering, while examining the underlying mechanisms for performance enhancement. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are outlined, offering a perspective on the potential applications of PBA-based catalysts in sustainable energy conversion systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Inorganic Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Catalysis Applications, 2nd Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop