Advanced Carbon Nanomaterials from Biomass for Energy Storage and Environmental Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 1080

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Engineering, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Puyo 160150, Ecuador
Interests: thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass; carbon-based nanomaterials; kinetic modeling of thermal processes; environmental applications of carbon nanomaterials.

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Estudios Científicos y Tecnológicos No. 18, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Zacatecas, Mexico
Interests: biological wastewater treatment; advanced oxidation processes for removing emergent pollutants; industrial wastewater treatment

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Direccion de Investigación y Soluciones Tecnológicas, CIATEC, A.C., Calle Omega 201, Industrial Delta, Leon 37545, Guanajuato, Mexico
Interests: advanced oxidation processes; carbon-based materials; water treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the development of advanced carbon materials has experienced significant growth due to their structural versatility, high chemical stability and excellent electrical and surface properties. In particular, the valorisation of lignocellulosic biomass as a renewable resource for producing carbon nanomaterials, such as biochar, activated carbon, carbonised nanocellulose or graphene-like structures, has emerged as a key strategy within the circular economy framework. These high-value materials are characterised by their potential in energy and environmental applications, positioning them as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-based materials.

This Special Issue, titled “Advanced Carbon Nanomaterials from Biomass for Energy Storage and Environmental Applications”, will gather high-quality contributions focused on the production, modification, and application of biomass-derived carbon nanomaterials for use in energy storage (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors, and electrodes), environmental remediation (e.g., pollutant adsorption and gas capture), sensors, catalysts, and multifunctional systems. Both experimental and theoretical studies are welcome, as are comprehensive review articles on the current state of the art.

Topics:

  • Production of advanced carbon materials from lignocellulosic biomass through pyrolysis, activation, hydrothermal carbonisation, or other thermochemical processes;
  • Physicochemical, textural, and electrochemical characterisation of biomass-derived carbon nanomaterials;
  • Surface modification and functionalisation of biochar or activated carbon for specific applications;
  • Application of carbon nanomaterials in batteries, supercapacitors, and other energy storage devices;
  • Environmental remediation uses: adsorption of heavy metals, emerging contaminants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and CO2;
  • Modeling and simulation of transport properties, reactivity, or adsorption behavior;
  • Life cycle assessment, sustainability analysis, and valorisation strategies within the circular economy framework.

Dr. Reinier Abreu Naranjo
Dr. Alain Ricardo Picos Benítez
Dr. Oscar Manuel Rodríguez Narváez
Guest Editors

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

  • biomass-derived carbon nanomaterials
  • energy storage applications
  • environmental remediation
  • thermochemical conversion
  • biochar and activated carbon
  • sustainability and circular economy

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.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 4312 KB  
Article
Functionalized Agave Bagasse Hydrochar for Reactive Orange 84 Removal: Synthesis, Characterization, and ANN–GA Optimization
by Neali Valencia-Espinoza, Reinier Abreu-Naranjo, Luisa F. Medina-Ganem, Raul E. Medina-Ganem, Fabricio G. Méndez-Landin, Alejandro Vega-Rios, Alberto Quevedo-Castro, Alain R. Picos-Benítez, Erick Bandala and Oscar M. Rodríguez-Narvaez
Processes 2026, 14(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14010010 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 732
Abstract
Functionalized carbon-based materials have recently attracted attention for the efficient removal of complex pollutants, including dyes. In this study, agave bagasse, an abundant by-product of the Mexican tequila industry, was used as biomass to produce H2SO4-modified hydrochar (HC) for [...] Read more.
Functionalized carbon-based materials have recently attracted attention for the efficient removal of complex pollutants, including dyes. In this study, agave bagasse, an abundant by-product of the Mexican tequila industry, was used as biomass to produce H2SO4-modified hydrochar (HC) for the removal of Reactive Orange 84 (RO84). FTIR-ATR analysis revealed characteristic signals of –SO3H groups in the functionalized HC. BET characterization showed a broad range of surface areas and pore volumes, with pore radio indicating nano-, micro-, and mesoporous structures, depending on the acid concentration used during synthesis. TGA and XRD analyses indicated that higher acid concentration promoted the depolymerization of biomass components. Adsorption assays demonstrated that increasing H2SO4 concentrations enhanced dye removal. Post-adsorption FTIR-ATR analysis revealed signal shifts consistent with interactions between sulfonated groups and dye RO84. Statistical and mathematical analyses showed that optimal results were achieved by combining high acid concentrations during HC synthesis with high HC dosages during adsorption. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop