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The Catalytic Conversion of Biomass

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 677

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Kavala, Greece
Interests: biodiesel production; biofuel production; biomass conversion; renewable energy technologies; sustainable aviation fuels; energy engineering
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The catalytic conversion of biomass is a central pathway toward sustainable chemistry, enabling the transformation of renewable resources into fuels, chemicals, and functional materials. By harnessing the potential of chemical, biological, and electrochemical catalysts, researchers are developing innovative processes that combine efficiency, selectivity, and environmental compatibility. As the need for greener processes intensifies, these advances are vital for unlocking the potential of renewable feedstocks and promoting circular economy.

In this Special Issue on The Catalytic Conversion of Biomass, we welcome original research articles and critical reviews that address state-of-the-art developments in biomass valorization. The aim is to showcase pioneering work on catalytic strategies that bridge fundamental understanding with practical applications. Particular emphasis will be placed on contributions exploring the following:

  • Design, synthesis, and application of chemical catalysts for biomass upgrading;
  • Advances in biocatalysts (enzymes and microbial systems) for selective transformations;
  • Emerging electrochemical catalytic processes for sustainable conversion routes;
  • Integration of multi-catalyst systems in biorefineries;
  • Computational, mechanistic, and modeling studies that elucidate reaction pathways and guide catalyst optimization.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue, which we believe will provide an inspiring platform for advancing sustainable technologies in biomass utilization.

Prof. Dr. Nikolaos Kokkinos
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 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-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 valorization
  • catalysts
  • biocatalysis
  • electrochemical catalysis
  • industrial catalysis
  • renewable feedstocks
  • sustainable chemistry
  • bio-based products

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

16 pages, 743 KB  
Review
Enzymatic Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels from Waste Feedstock
by Maria Mero, Vasiliki Mesazou, Elissavet Emmanouilidou and Nikolaos C. Kokkinos
Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4648; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234648 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 536
Abstract
The continuous fossil fuel exhaustion, as well as the increasing environmental challenges that are occurring globally, has underscored the need for research on alternative pathways of producing biofuels that will minimize aviation emissions over the next decades. The present review explores the employment [...] Read more.
The continuous fossil fuel exhaustion, as well as the increasing environmental challenges that are occurring globally, has underscored the need for research on alternative pathways of producing biofuels that will minimize aviation emissions over the next decades. The present review explores the employment of diverse waste sources as feedstock and enzymes as catalysts as environmentally friendly methods for producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). To achieve this goal, a comprehensive review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The results demonstrated that waste feedstocks catalyzed by enzymes represent an innovative alternative for SAF production. Specifically, the combination of enzymatic hydrolysis and microbial fermentation demonstrated considerable effectiveness in transforming complex waste feedstocks, such as lignocellulosic biomass, municipal solid waste, and food waste, into SAF precursors, including bio-isobutene and fatty acid methyl esters. Moreover, employing Chlorella variabilis fatty acid photodecarboxylase enzymes for photoenzymatic decarboxylation demonstrated significant conversion efficiency, particularly under gentle conditions, low energy consumption and remarkable selectivity. However, further research and development of the reviewed methods are necessary to enable the industrialization of these technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Catalytic Conversion of Biomass)
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