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Molecules
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Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition
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Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2089

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhuozhi Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China
Interests: biomass upgradation; solid waste; thermal conversion; co-utilization; carbon-neutral fuel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Boxiong Shen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China
Interests: solid waste; NOx reduction; petroleum engineering; catalyst characterization; SCR
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The emphasis of this Special Issue, titled "Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass", is on exploring the diverse applications of chemistry in the derivation of renewable energy, fuels, and chemicals from biomass resources. 

Key themes:

  1. Advanced biomass conversion technologies: using efficient methodologies (such as catalysis, pyrolysis, and torrefaction) to convert a variety of biomass into renewable energy, fuels, and high-value chemicals;
  2. Biofuel synthesis: innovations in the production of renewable biofuels, including bioethanol, biodiesel, and novel bio-based fuels, and other sustainable energy sources;
  3. Catalytic processes for biomass transformation: investigating catalytic pathways that can transform biomass components into valuable chemicals;
  4. Biotechnological advancements: emphasizing the role of biotechnology in enabling sustainable biomass transformations, including enzyme engineering, the metabolic pathway, and synthetic biology applications. 

We welcome researchers in this field to contribute original research, reviews, and communications that push the boundaries of our knowledge about deriving renewable energy, fuels, and chemicals from biomass. This Special Issue provides a platform for addressing challenges and presenting breakthroughs in the chemistry of biomass conversion.

Dr. Zhuozhi Wang
Prof. Dr. Boxiong Shen
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. 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

  • biomass conversion technologies
  • renewable energy
  • biofuel synthesis
  • catalytic biomass transformation
  • bioethanol
  • biodiesel
  • green/sustainable chemistry
  • biotechnological applications

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2424 KiB  
Article
Advanced Spectroscopic Characterization of Synthetic Oil from Oil Sands via Pyrolysis: An FTIR, GC–MSD, and NMR Study
by Ainura Yermekova, Yerbol Tileuberdi, Ainur Seitkan, Anar Gabbassova, Yerlan Zhatkanbayev, Aisha Nurlybayeva, Nurzada Totenova and Stanislav Kotov
Molecules 2025, 30(14), 2927; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30142927 - 10 Jul 2025
Viewed by 532
Abstract
This paper presents a modern spectroscopic characterization of the synthetic oil from oil sands of Beke, Munaily-Mola, and Dongeleksor. The pyrolysis process was carried out at temperatures up to 580 °C with a controlled heating rate, and the products obtained were analyzed using [...] Read more.
This paper presents a modern spectroscopic characterization of the synthetic oil from oil sands of Beke, Munaily-Mola, and Dongeleksor. The pyrolysis process was carried out at temperatures up to 580 °C with a controlled heating rate, and the products obtained were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MSD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The FTIR spectra showed a predominance of aliphatic hydrocarbons in the sample from Munaily-Mola synthetic oil, while the content of aromatic compounds was higher in the sample from Beke. GC–MSD analysis revealed significant differences in the distribution of hydrocarbons between the samples, with the Munaily-Mola sample containing a higher proportion of heavy hydrocarbons. NMR spectroscopy provided additional information about the structural composition of the extracted oil. The results indicate the potential of pyrolysis as an effective method for processing oil sands, while the composition of the product varies depending on the geological origin of the raw materials. These findings provide valuable information for optimizing oil sands processing technologies and improving the efficiency of synthetic oil production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 4029 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Migration Characteristics of Potassium During Agricultural Waste Combustion and the Mechanism of Combined Chlorine–Sulfur Action
by Jian Li, Yunlong Zhou, Guochao Zhao and Qixin Yuan
Molecules 2025, 30(12), 2495; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30122495 - 6 Jun 2025
Viewed by 434
Abstract
Alkali metals in fuel seriously affect the normal operation of generator sets. Using agricultural waste (AW) from a corn field as raw material, the dynamic change of alkali metal K migration and transformation and the effect of competition between chlorine and sulfur on [...] Read more.
Alkali metals in fuel seriously affect the normal operation of generator sets. Using agricultural waste (AW) from a corn field as raw material, the dynamic change of alkali metal K migration and transformation and the effect of competition between chlorine and sulfur on the behavior of AW were studied systematically. The results showed that transformation between different forms of K, especially water-soluble K, occurred. At low temperatures, K remained in the ash in the form of inorganic salt, and high temperature precipitated K and formed insoluble alkali metal compounds. Via FactSage thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, it was confirmed that KCl reacted with SiO2 to form a K2O·nSiO2 molten mixture in combustion. K initially existed in the form of KCl (s) and K2SO4 (s), high temperature promoted its transformation and decomposition, and it was eventually released as KCl (g). During combustion, Cl was more volatile than K, while S reduced the release of K and Cl through sulfation reaction to reduce the sediment viscosity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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39 pages, 3887 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin-Derived Phenolics to Aromatics
by Sitong Dong and Gang Feng
Molecules 2025, 30(10), 2225; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30102225 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 709
Abstract
Single-ring aromatic compounds including BTX (benzene, toluene, xylene) serve as essential building blocks for high-performance fuels and specialty chemicals, with extensive applications spanning polymer synthesis, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and aviation fuel formulation. Current industrial production predominantly relies on non-renewable petrochemical feedstocks, posing the dual [...] Read more.
Single-ring aromatic compounds including BTX (benzene, toluene, xylene) serve as essential building blocks for high-performance fuels and specialty chemicals, with extensive applications spanning polymer synthesis, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and aviation fuel formulation. Current industrial production predominantly relies on non-renewable petrochemical feedstocks, posing the dual challenges of resource depletion and environmental sustainability. The catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of lignin-derived phenolic substrates emerges as a technologically viable pathway for sustainable aromatic hydrocarbon synthesis, offering critical opportunities for lignin valorization and biorefinery advancement. This article reviews the relevant research on the conversion of lignin-derived phenolic compounds’ HDO to benzene and aromatic hydrocarbons, systematically categorizing and summarizing the different types of catalysts and their reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, we propose a strategic framework addressing current technical bottlenecks, highlighting the necessity for the synergistic development of robust heterogeneous catalysts with tailored active sites and energy-efficient process engineering to achieve scalable biomass conversion systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, 2nd Edition)
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