molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Functional Nanomaterials and Composites: From Design Towards Energy & Environmental Applications

A Special Issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049) belonging to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2027 | Viewed by 2068

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Phase Transitions and Functional Materials Group & Center of Excellence in New Materials (CENM), Department of Physics, Universidad del Valle, Santiago de Cali 760032, Colombia
Interests: nanomaterials and processes; carbonaceous materials; energy conversion and storage; environmental remediation; materials characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Phase Transitions and Functional Materials Group & Center of Excellence in New Materials (CENM), Department of Physics, Universidad del Valle, Santiago de Cali 760032, Colombia
Interests: micro and nanomagnetic materials; micromagnetic simulations; thin films and nanomaterials; HRTEM and electron holography; material characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapidly advancing field of nanomaterials and composites holds significant promise for addressing critical global challenges, particularly in energy and environmental applications. This Special Issue, titled "Functional Nanomaterials and Composites: From Design Towards Energy & Environmental Applications," explores the innovative design, fabrication, and integration of functional nanomaterials and composite systems, with a focus on their potential to revolutionize sustainable energy solutions and environmental remediation.

Nanomaterials, due to their unique structural and chemical properties, offer unparalleled opportunities for enhancing energy storage, conversion, and efficiency. Similarly, nanocomposites, which combine the versatility of nanoscale materials with traditional bulk materials, are paving the way for the development of advanced, high-performance products that contribute to cleaner, more efficient energy systems. This Special Issue highlights cutting-edge research on the design principles, functionalization, and characterization techniques for these materials, emphasizing their role in solar energy, battery technologies, environmental sensing, and pollution control.

As the world strives to transition towards sustainable practices, functional nanomaterials and composites are at the forefront of efforts to create cleaner, more efficient technologies. This collection of research provides valuable insights for scientists, engineers, and policymakers seeking to harness the power of nanotechnology to address energy and environmental challenges.

Dr. Edgar Mosquera-Vargas
Dr. Luis Alfredo Rodríguez
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • nanomaterials
  • composites
  • energy applications
  • environmental remediation
  • sustainable technologies

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.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

15 pages, 2019 KB  
Article
TiO2-Decorated MXenes for Efficient UV Light Photocatalysis: A Comparative Study of Few- and Multi-Layer Structures
by Daniela Balbontín, Sana Munir, Maibelin Rosales, Roberto Villarroel, Adriana Blanco, Francisco Gracia, Andreas Rosenkranz and Rodrigo Espinoza-González
Molecules 2026, 31(11), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31111945 - 3 Jun 2026
Viewed by 503
Abstract
Water contaminated by textile dyes is a tremendous risk to human health and the environment due to its toxic and carcinogenic nature, thus requiring advanced and efficient removal strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the photo-oxidation performance of few- and multi-layer Ti [...] Read more.
Water contaminated by textile dyes is a tremendous risk to human health and the environment due to its toxic and carcinogenic nature, thus requiring advanced and efficient removal strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the photo-oxidation performance of few- and multi-layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets (MXenes) decorated with TiO2 nanoparticles for methyl orange removal from synthetic solutions. The quantification of photogenerated hydroxyl radicals by fluorescence revealed much higher OH production for TiO2-decorated samples, especially for multi-layer MXene, in which it was 2.8 times higher than that of few-layer MXene. However, photocatalysis was morphology-controlled: despite lower OH, the few-layer MXene achieved the highest dye conversion (~45% after 5 h), attributed to shorter charge migration distances and more accessible TiO2 active sites, enabling effective h+ and superoxide-driven pathways. Moreover, the detected -OH surface terminations verified on MXenes promoted a notable adsorption capacity, especially for the multi-layer samples (~31%) via interlayer trapping and H-bonding. Therefore, our results demonstrate that few-layer MXenes are promising candidates for the efficient removal of methyl orange and highlight the potential of TiO2-decorated MXenes as promising photocatalysts for environmental remediation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 7285 KB  
Article
Influence of the TiO2 Precursor Phase on the Properties and Photoelectrooxidation Performance of Black TiO2-Impregnated Electrodes for Acetaminophen Degradation
by Daniel Solarte-Ferro, John Betancourt, José A. Lara Ramos, Mario Millán-Franco, Jesús E. Diosa, Oscar A. Jaramillo-Quintero, Miguel Gracia-Pinilla, Fiderman Machuca-Martínez and Edgar Mosquera-Vargas
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1509; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091509 - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 606
Abstract
Black TiO2-impregnated electrodes were prepared via a modified dip-coating method, using six deposition layers to investigate the influence of the TiO2 precursor phase (anatase, rutile, and P25) on their structural and optical properties, as well as their photoelectrooxidation performance toward [...] Read more.
Black TiO2-impregnated electrodes were prepared via a modified dip-coating method, using six deposition layers to investigate the influence of the TiO2 precursor phase (anatase, rutile, and P25) on their structural and optical properties, as well as their photoelectrooxidation performance toward acetaminophen degradation. A reductive thermal treatment under a H2/Ar atmosphere successfully modified the band gap energy and promoted the formation of oxygen vacancies (Vo) and Ti3+ species, as evidenced by UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence analysis. Among the precursor phases, anatase exhibited the most significant band gap reduction, whereas rutile and P25 showed greater structural stability after the reduction process. Photoelectrochemical experiments revealed that the supporting electrolyte plays a dominant role in the degradation process, with significantly higher removal efficiencies observed in chloride medium (0.1 M NaCl) compared with sulfate medium (0.1 M Na2SO4) due to the formation of active chlorine species. Among the tested materials, rutile- and P25-derived electrodes showed the highest degradation efficiencies, reaching concentrations (C/C0) of 0.631 and 0.650, respectively. The results highlight the combined influence of precursor phase, defect structure, and electrolyte composition on the photoelectrooxidation behavior of black TiO2 electrodes and provide insights for the design of electrochemical systems for pharmaceutical contaminants removal. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 18603 KB  
Review
Nano-CaO2-Modified Biochar for Enhancing Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Tofu Wastewater: A Review of Risk Mitigation and Resource Recovery Strategies
by Xingzhong Zheng, Ndungutse Jean Maurice, Halima Niyilolawa Giwa and Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa
Molecules 2026, 31(11), 1882; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31111882 - 31 May 2026
Viewed by 472
Abstract
Tofu wastewater (TWW), characterized as a high-strength organic effluent with elevated chemical oxygen demand (COD) and low pH, presents significant environmental challenges, including eutrophication, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional disposal methods have proven inadequate in mitigating these risks; however, thermophilic anaerobic [...] Read more.
Tofu wastewater (TWW), characterized as a high-strength organic effluent with elevated chemical oxygen demand (COD) and low pH, presents significant environmental challenges, including eutrophication, soil degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional disposal methods have proven inadequate in mitigating these risks; however, thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) has emerged as a viable technology for bioenergy recovery. Nonetheless, TAD is impeded by rapid acidification, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide inhibition, and the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). This review introduces nano-calcium-peroxide-modified biochar (nano-CaO2/BC) as a multifunctional additive designed to establish an integrated framework for intervention, risk mitigation, and resource recovery. The proposed amendment synergistically combines the adsorptive and microbial-supportive properties of biochar with the controlled oxidative and alkaline characteristics of nano-CaO2. Under thermophilic conditions, the slow hydrolysis of nano-CaO2 generates transient microaerobic zones that enhance polymer hydrolysis, suppress ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) formation, and facilitate the oxidation of inhibitory VFAs, concurrently releasing calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) for sustained pH buffering. Utilizing failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as a semi-quantitative assessment tool, the results indicate that the composite significantly reduces risk priority numbers associated with acidification, ammonia toxicity, and sulfide inhibition when compared with conventional TAD methods. The resultant digestates, which are enriched in nutrients and recalcitrant carbon, possess the potential to serve as valuable soil amendments, thereby contributing to a circular bioeconomy. A techno-economic assessment grounded in unit cost analysis suggests that positive net benefits may be realized through enhanced biogas recovery and the mitigation of environmental penalties. However, empirical validation at the pilot scale is essential to substantiate the projected performance. This review underscores critical knowledge gaps and proposes a systematic experimental framework aimed at translating the conceptual risk mitigation strategy into practical applications. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop