Functional Materials for Separation and Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Heavy Metals
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 1
Special Issue Editors
2. Hebei Key Laboratory of Low Carbon and High Efficiency Power Generation Technology, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, China
Interests: catalytic technology for the capture of gaseous heavy metals; efficient transformation and resource utilization of solid waste
Interests: simultaneous removal and resource utilization in heavy metals from industrial production (Tl/As/Se/Hg0); catalytic technology for the capture of gaseous heavy metals; application of earth elements in catalytic technology for gaseous multipollutant emission control
2. Key Laboratory of Critical Metals Minerals Supernormal Enrichment and Extraction of Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: critical metal recovery from low-grade ores; heavy metal pollution control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Rare-earth elements (REEs) and some heavy metals are critical mineral resources for modern technologies, yet their extraction, use, and improper disposal pose significant environmental and health risks due to their toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulative nature. With the growing global demand for clean energy technologies (e.g., batteries, magnets, and solar energy) and the urgent need to mitigate environmental pollution, the development of advanced functional materials capable of selectively separating, recovering, storing, utilizing, and recovering these elements from complex matrices—such as industrial wastewater, flue gas, electronic waste, and mining effluents—has become a pressing priority. Addressing the dual challenges of resource scarcity and environmental contamination requires innovative solutions at the intersection of material science, environmental engineering, and circular economy principles.
In recent years, significant progress has been made in designing functional materials—including porous adsorbents, ion-imprinted polymers, catalytic membranes, and defect-engineered nanomaterials—that enhance the efficiency, selectivity, and reusability of separation processes.
Advanced characterization techniques and simulation methods (e.g., in situ spectroscopy, DFT simulations, machine learning) have deepened our understanding of mechanisms such as ion exchange, surface complexation, and redox-driven recovery. However, challenges remain in scaling these materials for industrial applications, optimizing their performance under real-world conditions (e.g., low concentrations, multi-component competition), and ensuring economic and environmental sustainability across their lifecycle.
The purpose of this Special Issue is to compile cutting-edge research that advances the science and engineering of functional materials for REE and heavy metal separation, recovery, storage, and utilization. We welcome contributions addressing functional material properties, mechanistic studies, process optimization, and case studies on resource recycling from secondary sources (e.g., end-of-life products and industrial sludges). Submissions may comprise original research articles, reviews, or perspectives that bridge fundamental discoveries and practical applications, ultimately fostering sustainable resource management and pollution control.
We look forward to receiving your innovative contributions to this critical field.
Dr. Yue Zhang
Dr. Jiaying Xing
Dr. Biao Fu
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2600 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
- rare-earth element recovery
- heavy metal extraction and separation
- interface catalysis
- resource recycling
- selective redox
- functional material properties
- active site regulation
- flue gas treatment
- defect engineering
- circular economy
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.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
