Advanced Materials and Process Intensification for Clean Energy Systems

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 909

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Energy Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
Interests: chemical looping technologies; bioresource production and conversion; functional materials synthesis; water and wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310012, China
Interests: chemical looping; solid waste; sulfur conversion

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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK
Interests: process automation and monitoring; optimization algorithms; dynamic optimization; model-based control; decentralized energy systems

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Guest Editor Assistant
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou 239000, China
Interests: carbon capture; fuel combustion; DFT analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the last decade, the global energy landscape has undergone a profound transformation driven by the dual imperatives of climate change mitigation and sustainable development. Advanced materials and process intensification have emerged as critical enablers for enhancing the efficiency, scalability, and environmental compatibility of clean energy systems. Key areas of progress include innovative solid waste conversion technologies for energy and resource recovery, and novel catalysts for green hydrogen and ammonia production and the development of high-performance oxygen carriers in chemical looping. Simultaneously, breakthroughs in solar cell materials (e.g., perovskite and silicon heterojunction cells) and advanced battery systems (e.g., lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries) have significantly improved energy conversion and storage capabilities. These advancements are pivotal for addressing the intermittency of renewables, reducing carbon footprints, and enabling a circular economy. 

This Special Issue, titled "Advanced Materials and Process Intensification for Clean Energy Systems", aims to​ gather cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore the integration of advanced materials and process intensification strategies across a spectrum of clean energy technologies. The focus is on fundamental insights, material innovations, and system-level optimizations that enhance performance, durability, and economic viability while minimizing environmental impact. 

The topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following themes:

This Special Issue welcomes original research and reviews focusing on advanced materials, experimental investigations and process intensification strategies for solid waste conversion, including chemical-looping systems, advanced oxygen carriers, low-NOx combustion, waste-based hydrogen production, syngas purification, and circulating fluidized bed technologies. We also encourage submissions related to hydrogen and ammonia production, covering electrocatalysts for water splitting, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical processes, electrolyzer design, nitrogen reduction reactions for ammonia synthesis, and integrated power-to-X systems.

In the area of solar energy conversion, contributions on high-efficiency perovskite solar cells, silicon heterojunction and tandem cells, novel photovoltaic materials, and stability enhancement strategies are welcomd. The Issue also seeks studies on advanced energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion battery material innovations, sodium-ion battery development, flow batteries, and thermal energy storage materials.

Furthermore, we welcome research on process intensification and system integration, including modular reactor design, smart manufacturing, AI-driven optimization, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic analysis of clean energy processes.

Dr. Jingchun Yan
Dr. Lulu Wang
Prof. Dr. Harvey Arellano-Garcia
Guest Editors

Dr. Rong Sun
Guest Editor Assistant

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. Processes 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

  • advanced materials
  • process intensification
  • clean energy systems
  • simulation
  • experiment
  • design
  • battery
  • catalysis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3679 KB  
Article
Thermodynamic Analysis of Composite Metal Oxygen Carriers for Biomass Chemical Looping Gasification Coupled with CO2 Splitting
by Chenyang He, Jingchun Yan, Xudong Wang, Xin Niu and Haiming Gu
Processes 2026, 14(4), 648; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14040648 - 13 Feb 2026
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Abstract
Biomass chemical looping gasification coupled with CO2 splitting (BCLGCS) presents a promising carbon-negative route for simultaneous syngas production and CO2 utilization, where the selection of oxygen carriers (OCs) is critical. Compared to single-metal oxides, composite metal OCs offer thermodynamic advantages. This [...] Read more.
Biomass chemical looping gasification coupled with CO2 splitting (BCLGCS) presents a promising carbon-negative route for simultaneous syngas production and CO2 utilization, where the selection of oxygen carriers (OCs) is critical. Compared to single-metal oxides, composite metal OCs offer thermodynamic advantages. This study aims to evaluate the thermodynamic performance of composite metal OCs (LaFeO3, BaFeO3, CaFe2O4, and Ca2Fe2O5) in BCLGCS to overcome the thermodynamic limitations of conventional biomass-CO2 gasification. Gibbs free energy minimization calculations were performed to predict gas compositions and oxygen carrier phase transformations under varying operating conditions. Results show that steam addition promotes gasification by increasing H2 content and lowering required temperatures, but substantially reduces CO2 conversion in the splitting reactor by consuming residual char. Ca2Fe2O5 demonstrates superior adaptability with tunable H2/CO ratios, while LaFeO3 requires high OC loading and BaFeO3 undergoes deactivation via BaCO3 formation. This work reveals inherent thermodynamic conflicts between gasification and CO2 splitting steps, indicating that the optima for syngas production and CO2 utilization are mutually exclusive, an insight not previously quantified in BCLGCS literature. The findings provide theoretical guidance for designing carbon-tolerant OCs and optimizing process parameters, advancing BCLGCS toward practical carbon-negative applications. Full article
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Review

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20 pages, 3055 KB  
Review
Plasma-Assisted Combustion Technology in Ammonia Combustion: Research and Applications
by Shuang Wang, Li Ma, Lei Gao, Dawei Yan, Rong Sun, Mingyan Gu and Shiqiang Lv
Processes 2026, 14(3), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14030458 - 28 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 453
Abstract
Achieving a green transition in the energy structure and reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels has become a global imperative for addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. The search for clean energy alternatives to traditional fossil fuels has emerged as a critical [...] Read more.
Achieving a green transition in the energy structure and reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels has become a global imperative for addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. The search for clean energy alternatives to traditional fossil fuels has emerged as a critical challenge in the energy and power sector. Ammonia (NH3) shows great potential as a zero-carbon fuel in the energy sector, but issues such as its low flame propagation speed, high ignition energy requirements, and elevated NOx emissions limit its widespread industrial application. To address these issues and enhance ammonia combustion, plasma-assisted combustion technology has gained widespread attention in recent years as an effective solution. The plasma-assisted technology enhances combustion stability and efficiency of ammonia, and effectively suppresses NOx emissions. Additionally, the high-energy electrons and intense chemical reactions in plasma help to decompose and crack ammonia fuel, increase flame propagation speed, and thus improve ammonia combustion performance. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest research advancements in plasma-assisted technology in ammonia combustion. It covers the fundamental principles of plasma generation, the mechanisms of combustion enhancement, industrial application status, and development trends. The aim is to assess the potential of plasma-assisted combustion technology in achieving efficient, stable, and low-carbon ammonia combustion, and to explore its future prospects for industrial application. Full article
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