Green and Sustainable Biomass Processing: Ionic Liquids or Solvent-Free Approaches for Advanced Materials
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 5
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sustainable processing of biomass has become a key focus in green chemistry and material science, as researchers aim to transform renewable resources into high-value materials through environmentally friendly methods. Among these, ionic liquid-based technologies and solvent-free approaches are emerging as promising strategies due to their ability to reduce environmental impact while enhancing efficiency and selectivity.
Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents provide unique capabilities for biomass dissolution, fractionation, and functionalization, enabling the production of cellulose derivatives, nanocellulose, and other advanced biomaterials. Similarly, solvent-free techniques, such as mechanochemistry and reactive extrusion, offer energy-efficient and scalable pathways for modifying biopolymers without harmful solvents. These approaches not only support the circular economy but also open new avenues for creating functional materials for applications in packaging, energy storage, biomedicine, etc.
This Special Issue invites original research and reviews focusing on innovative green processing methods for biomass conversion, covering aspects such as novel solvent systems, solvent-free technologies, computational solvent design. Our goal is to highlight transformative strategies that enable eco-friendly and high-performance material development.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents for biomass dissolution and functionalization.
- Solvent-free approaches such as mechanochemistry and reactive extrusion
- Esterification, etherification, and functionalization of polysaccharides under green conditions.
- Integration of computational and machine learning tools for solvent design.
Dr. Gyanendra Sharma
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- ionic liquids
- solvent-free
- biomass processing
- green chemistry
- cellulose processing
- mechanochemistry
- deep eutectic solvents
- sustainable materials
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