Novel Adsorbents for Environmental Pollutants' Removal
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 2851
Special Issue Editor
Interests: novel adsorbents; environmental pollutants removal; synthesis and self-assembly; characterization; low dimensional carbon based nanocomposites; metal-organic framework derived nanohybrids; adsorption isotherm; adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics; applications of artificial intelligence and molecular modeling
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue invites the submission of original research articles and critical reviews relating to novel adsorbents for the removal of environmental pollutants. Environmental pollution is one of the most imminent dangers and challenges humanity currently faces, and adsorption is one of the most efficient ways for removing the pollutants. The present Special Issue is focused on potentially effective adsorbents for the removal of environmental pollutants including persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, hazardous dyes, toxic surfactants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, phthalate esters, toxic gases, and greenhouse gases. Novel adsorbents, e.g., low-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites and metal–organic framework-derived nanohybrids in combination with traditional adsorbents, such as silica gel, activated carbon and alumina, zeolite and polymers, can be designed, fabricated via synthesis, surface modification or self-assembly, and characterized using various methods, e.g., scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, infrared/Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron-based near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, spallation neutron source, spherical aberration correction high-resolution scanning transmission microscopy, and atomic probe tomography. Close attention should be paid to the study of surface and interface properties, pore size and shape, and the active sites of these adsorbents.
Pollutants removal processes via adsorption can be described and evaluated with adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics and kinetics with the aid of linear or non-linear model-fitting techniques. With regard to adsorption mechanisms, physical or chemical adsorption, selectivity, and monolayer or multilayer modes should be clarified. In addition, the regeneration and recovery processes of adsorbents should be carefully taken into consideration. In connection with experimental design approaches (such as response surface methodology, and orthogonal design), cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools, e.g., back-propagation neural network, fuzzy neural network, genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, decision tree, convolutional neural networks (deep learning), and generative large models, are highly promising technologies to facilitate the study of adsorptive processes and their optimization. Quantum mechanics, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation are also useful methods for modeling the interactions between adsorbent and adsorbate molecules.
Studies exploring novel adsorbents from renewable resources and with magnetic properties useful for solid–liquid separation are especially welcomed. These can significantly cut the cost of adsorbents and reduce the energy consumed in adsorptive processes, thus conforming to the current theme of green development. In addition, scale-up applications based on laboratory results are encouraged in order to push forward the practical uses of newly developed adsorbents to tackle the increasingly pressing issue of environmental pollution.
Prof. Dr. Jiwei Hu
Guest Editor
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
- novel adsorbents
- environmental pollutants removal
- synthesis and self-assembly
- characterization
- low dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites
- metal-organic framework-derived nanohybrids
- adsorption isotherm
- adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics
- applications of artificial intelligence and molecular modeling
