Design and Applications of Nanocatalysts for Energy-Related Hydrogen Production
A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 141
Special Issue Editor
Interests: H2 production; photocatalysis; MOFs; COFs; HOFs
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Sustainable hydrogen production is a cornerstone of the global transition to clean energy, offering a promising pathway to decarbonize transportation, industry, and power generation. With their high surface area, tunable electronic properties, and unique active sites, nanocatalysts have emerged as key enablers of efficient hydrogen generation via photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photoelectrochemical methods. Recent advances in nanomaterial design—ranging from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and noble metals to transition metal compounds–have significantly improved their catalytic activity and stability. However, challenges remain in understanding the underlying mechanisms, scaling up synthesis, and integrating these catalysts into practical devices. This Special Issue aims to capture the latest breakthroughs and foster further innovation in this rapidly evolving field.
This collection seeks to present and disseminate cutting-edge research on advanced nanocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production. It will cover the rational design of novel nanomaterials, in-depth mechanistic studies, and the application of nanomaterials in various hydrogen production technologies. Contributions that combine experimental and theoretical approaches, address structure–activity relationships, or explore emerging catalytic concepts are particularly welcome. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of the nanocatalyst-enabled hydrogen economy.
Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to:
- The design and synthesis of nanostructured catalysts (e.g., MOFs, noble metals, alloys, oxides, sulfides, and phosphides) for H2 production;
- Photocatalytic, electrocatalytic, and photoelectrochemical water splitting;
- Mechanisms of hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) studied by in situ/operando techniques and theoretical calculations;
- Structure–performance correlations and active site identification;
- Novel strategies to enhance charge separation, light absorption, and stability;
- Nanocatalysts for hydrogen production made from biomass, organic wastes, or seawater;
- Scalable synthesis and device integration for practical applications;
- Machine learning and high-throughput screening in catalyst discovery;
- Techno-economic and sustainability assessments of nanocatalyst-based hydrogen production
Dr. Yang Wang
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.
Keywords
- nanocatalysts
- hydrogen production
- photocatalysis
- electrocatalysis
- water splitting
- metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)
- reaction mechanisms
- structure–activity relationship
- sustainable energy
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
