Advanced Nanomaterials for High-Performance Batteries and Electrocatalytic Energy Conversion Systems

Dear Colleagues,

1. Background and History of the Topic

The accelerating global transition toward sustainable and low-carbon energy systems has created an urgent demand for efficient energy storage and conversion technologies. Rechargeable batteries—particularly lithium-ion systems—have enabled widespread deployment in portable electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-scale storage. However, challenges related to cost, resource availability, safety, and energy density continue to drive research into alternative battery chemistries, including sodium-ion, potassium-ion, zinc-ion, and metal–air systems.

Simultaneously, electrocatalytic energy conversion technologies, such as water splitting, fuel cells, and carbon dioxide reduction, are gaining prominence as key enablers of clean energy production and storage. These systems rely on efficient electrocatalysts to facilitate critical reactions, including the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR).

Advanced nanomaterials have played a transformative role in both domains. Their high surface area, tunable electronic structures, and abundant active sites enable enhanced electrochemical performance and catalytic activity. Over time, research has evolved from conventional nanostructured carbons and metal oxides to sophisticated materials, such as metal–organic framework (MOF)- and covalent organic framework (COF)-based materials, perovskite-based nanomaterials, single-atom catalysts, and heteroatom-doped nanostructures. Despite significant progress, key challenges remain, including stability, scalability, mechanistic understanding, and integration into practical energy systems.

2. Aim and Scope of the Special Issue

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for cutting-edge research on advanced nanomaterials that enable high-performance batteries and electrocatalytic energy conversion systems. It seeks to bridge fundamental materials design with practical applications, highlighting the synergy between electrochemical energy storage and conversion.

The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Design and synthesis of advanced nanomaterials for battery electrodes and electrocatalysts.
• Nanomaterials for lithium-ion, sodium-ion, potassium-ion, zinc-ion, and multivalent batteries.
• Electrocatalysts for OER, ORR, HER, and CO₂RR.
• Bifunctional and multifunctional catalysts for metal–air batteries and integrated energy systems.
• Advanced nanomaterials, including MOF- and COF-based materials, perovskite-based nanomaterials and nanostructured perovskite systems, single-atom catalysts, and heteroatom-doped nanostructures.
• Interface engineering and electrode/electrolyte interactions.
• In situ and operando characterization techniques.
• Computational modelling and machine learning-assisted material discovery.
• Degradation mechanisms, stability, and lifecycle performance.
• Scalable synthesis and practical implementation strategies.

3. Cutting-Edge Research Directions

Recent advances in this field are increasingly becoming focused on the following:

• Single-atom and dual-atom catalysts with maximized atomic efficiency.
• MOF- and COF-derived nanostructures with tunable porosity and active sites.
• Perovskite-based and defect-engineered oxide catalysts for enhanced electrocatalytic performance.
• Bifunctional electrocatalysts for rechargeable metal–air batteries.
• Integration of nanomaterials into solid-state and hybrid energy systems.
• AI/ML-driven discovery and optimization of electrode and catalyst materials.
• Advanced in situ/operando techniques to elucidate electrochemical mechanisms.
• Sustainable materials derived from earth-abundant and low-cost resources.

These emerging directions are redefining the performance limits of energy storage and conversion systems and accelerating their transition from laboratory research to real-world deployment.

4. Types of Papers Solicited

This Special Issue welcomes high-quality submissions, including the following:

• Original research articles presenting novel materials, mechanisms, or device architectures.
• Review articles summarizing recent advances and future perspectives.
• Short communications reporting significant or breakthrough findings.
• Perspectives and outlook articles on emerging trends and challenges.
• Submissions should provide fundamental insights, innovative material design, and/or practical relevance to advanced batteries and electrocatalytic energy systems.

Dr. Yasir Arafat
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. Nanomaterials 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 2400 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.

• advanced nanomaterials
• batteries
• electrocatalysis
• energy conversion
• perovskites
• single-atom catalysts
• heteroatom-doped carbon
• energy storage
• sustainable energy