Polymer and Gel Materials for Air and Water Remediation via Adsorption and Separation
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Soft Matter".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 105
Special Issue Editors
Interests: polymeric materials; hydrogels; techno-functional properties; green techniques; environmental remediation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: materials science; biomaterials; nanotechnology; carbon fibers; polymers; composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: organic materials; biopolymers; interaction radiation-matter; spectroscopy; heat transfer in irradiated materials; “treatment-effect” modeling with evolution pattern identification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Polymer and gel materials are at the forefront of sustainable solutions for environmental remediation, offering remarkable versatility in addressing air and water contamination through adsorption and separation. These materials prove essential for mitigating pollutants such as greenhouse gases, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, and microplastics, with applications spanning industrial emissions control, wastewater treatment, and atmospheric carbon capture. Early advancements in ion-exchange resins and activated carbon composites have evolved into stimuli-responsive hydrogels, nanostructured hybrids (e.g., MOF–polymer systems), and bio-based aerogels, enabling selective and energy-efficient pollutant removal.
Recent innovations prioritize multifunctionality, integrating adsorption with catalytic degradation, membrane separation, or real-time sensing. Emerging trends include the use of machine learning for the predictive design of polymer architectures and the development of energy-efficient regeneration strategies.
This Special Issue focuses on polymeric and gel-based materials designed for adsorption and separation applications in air and water remediation. It will feature studies on the synthesis, characterization, computational modeling, and mechanistic insights of these materials for the adsorption and separation of contaminants from both air and water systems. Contributions addressing applications, scalability, and lifecycle analysis are encouraged. Submissions may cover adsorbents, membranes, hydrogels, aerogels, and hybrid systems, with a strong emphasis on efficiency, selectivity, and sustainability.
We welcome original research, reviews, and perspectives to advance this critical field.
Dr. Monica Nemtanu
Dr. Ibrahim M. Alarifi
Dr. Mirela Braşoveanu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- sustainable and green materials
- polymer adsorbents
- hydrogels and aerogels
- hybrid and nanocomposite materials
- gas separation and capture
- wastewater treatment
- volatile organic compound (VOC) removal
- heavy metal and microplastic adsorption
- adsorption mechanisms
- separation technologies
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