Synthesis and Applications of Porous Materials as Catalysts and Adsorbents
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 15
Special Issue Editors
Interests: metal oxide; H2S oxidation; desulfuration; reaction mechanism; carbon material; porous materials; CO, CO2, and CH4 conversion
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Porous materials, including metal oxides and carbon-based systems, are revolutionizing catalysis and adsorption technologies by offering tunable pore architectures and surface functionalities tailored for specific chemical challenges. This Special Issue focuses on advancing the design and application of porous metal oxides (e.g., TiO2, ZnO) and carbon materials (e.g., graphene aerogels, biochar-derived frameworks) in transformative processes such as CO2 conversion, photocatalytic water splitting, and thermal catalytic biomass upgrading. Novel synthetic strategies—spanning defect engineering, hybridization with organic–inorganic components, and scalable fabrication methods—are critical to enhancing material stability, reactivity, and selectivity under real-world conditions. Of particular interest are studies that bridge synthesis innovation with environmental and energy applications, such as adsorbents for heavy metal removal, photocatalysts for pollutant degradation, and carbon materials enabling efficient CO2 capture and electrocatalytic reduction. By integrating experimental insights with computational modeling, this Special Issue aims to unravel reaction mechanisms, optimize active sites, and accelerate the translation of porous materials into scalable solutions for carbon-neutral technologies.
The interplay between material design and practical deployment drives this Special Issue, emphasizing both environmental remediation and sustainable chemical production. Research on adsorbents for air/water purification, catalytic reactors for CO2 valorization, and hybrid systems coupling photocatalysis with thermal catalysis highlights the versatility of porous materials in addressing global sustainability goals. Additionally, interdisciplinary approaches leveraging machine learning for material discovery, the circular utilization of adsorbents, or synergistic catalytic mechanisms (e.g., photothermal catalysis) are encouraged to expand the frontiers of porous material applications. This Special Issue seeks to foster collaboration across academia and industry, advancing porous materials as cornerstone technologies for clean energy, the circular economy, and pollution control.
Dr. Xiaohai Zheng
Dr. Mengmeng Wu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- porous materials
- metal oxides
- carbon materials
- adsorbents
- CO2 conversion
- photocatalysis
- thermal catalysis
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