Photoelectrochemical Properties of Nanostructured Thin Films
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Photochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025
Special Issue Editors
Interests: photocatalytic activity; nanoparticles; bismuth
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: semiconductor photocatalyst and plasmonic catalyst for pollution degradation; density functional theory; electronic state; plutonium
Interests: material theory; phosphate mineral; crystal structure; lanthanum
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue focuses on developing, characterizing, and applying advanced thin-film materials for energy conversion and environmental technologies. This topic explores how nanostructuring enhances light absorption, charge separation, and surface catalytic activity, making these films highly efficient for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications, such as water splitting for hydrogen production, CO₂ reduction, and pollutant degradation. Research in this area spans a variety of materials, including metal oxides (e.g., TiO₂, ZnO, and Fe₂O₃), nitrides, and heterostructure films, along with techniques like doping, co-catalyst integration, and surface passivation to improve PEC performance and stability. Innovative deposition methods such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapour deposition (CVD), and spray pyrolysis are critical to controlling the morphology and composition of thin films at the nanoscale. With significant multidisciplinary relevance, this area bridges material science, chemistry, and renewable energy engineering, contributing to advancing sustainable energy technologies and environmental remediation solutions.
We invite you to submit review articles, research articles, communications, and brief papers highlighting recent advances in nanostructured materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications. This Special Issue aims to gather contributions that illustrate breakthroughs in developing, characterizing, and applying nanomaterials, focusing on PEC water splitting, CO₂ reduction, photocatalysis, and environmental remediation. We encourage submissions that provide in-depth technical and analytical perspectives on thin-film PEC materials, including innovations in synthesis, surface engineering, and co-catalyst integration. Topics may include advancements in PEC cells, nanostructured heterojunctions, doped thin films, and stability-enhancing strategies. This Special Issue aims to collect cutting-edge achievements in the design of multi-functional materials for clean energy, environmental solutions, and sustainable photoelectrochemical technologies.
Prof. Dr. Sadaf Bashir Khan
Dr. Zheng Xie
Guest Editors
Dr. Xiaofeng Zhao
Guest Editor Assistant
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. 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
- photoelectrochemical water splitting
- CO₂ reduction
- photocatalysis
- surface engineering
- co-catalyst integration
- sustainable energy conversion
- thin-film heterojunctions
- advanced functional nanomaterials
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