Functional Nanocatalysts for Energy Conversion and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2024) | Viewed by 2604

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Interests: Interests: computational modeling; ML in catalysis; sustainable chemical production; energy conversion and storage; H2O/CO2 splitting; OER/ORR/HER; hydrocarbon conversion; metal/alloy; metal oxides; quantum dots; 2D materials; MOFs; amorphous molten salts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The urgent need for sustainable energy solutions and environmental remediation has driven the exploration of innovative technologies, among which functional nanocatalysts stand out for their pivotal role in energy conversion and environmental applications due to their unique properties, such as high surface area, tunable pore sizes, and the ability to facilitate various reactions at the nanoscale.

This Special Issue aims to spotlight the latest advancements in nanocatalyst research, focusing on their application in crucial reactions and processes that address current energy-related and environmental challenges. We invite contributions that explore the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanocatalysts in a range of important reactions and processes.Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • CO2 capture and reduction strategies;
  • Electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reactions (OERs), oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs), and hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs);
  • The photoreduction of pollutants;
  • Nitrogen fixation for sustainable agriculture;
  • The synthesis of value-added chemicals from renewable resources;
  • Carbon-based materials (graphene and carbon nanotubes) for energy-related and environmental applications;
  • Membrane technologies used for water purification and gas separation;
  • The green synthesis of nanoparticles and their application in catalysis;
  • Machine learning and AI in the discovery and optimization of materials.

With this Special Issue, we seek to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers to share their findings on the development and application of functional nanocatalysts, fostering a multidisciplinary dialogue and inspiring further advancements and applications that contribute to a sustainable future.

Dr. Xijun Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • energy conversion and storage
  • environmental remediation
  • CO2 capture and reduction
  • hydrogen energy production and storage
  • catalytic processes in fuel cells
  • the photoreduction of pollutants
  • nitrogen fixation
  • renewable chemical synthesis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

23 pages, 7475 KiB  
Review
Design Strategies of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Nano Electrocatalysts for High Current Density Water Splitting
by Bao Zang, Xianya Liu, Chen Gu, Jianmei Chen, Longlu Wang and Weihao Zheng
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(14), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14141172 - 9 Jul 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2223
Abstract
Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high-energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up [...] Read more.
Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high-energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up to industrial levels, operating at high current densities introduces unique challenges. It is necessary to design advanced electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) under high current densities. This review will briefly introduce the challenges posed by high current densities on electrocatalysts, including catalytic activity, mass diffusion, and catalyst stability. In an attempt to address these issues, various electrocatalyst design strategies are summarized in detail. In the end, our insights into future challenges for efficient large-scale industrial hydrogen production from water splitting are presented. This review is expected to guide the rational design of efficient high-current density water electrolysis electrocatalysts and promote the research progress of sustainable energy. Full article
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