Functional Materials and Interfaces for Sustainable Technology Development

Dear Colleagues,

The development of advanced functional materials and engineered interfaces is playing a transformative role in addressing global challenges in clean energy, environmental protection, and sustainable industrial technologies. The development of advanced functional materials and engineered interfaces is playing a transformative role in driving sustainable technology innovation and addressing pressing global challenges. This multidisciplinary Topic aims to showcase cutting-edge research on the design, fabrication, and application of functional materials, including nanomaterials, polymers, gels, colloidal systems, and hybrid composites, all tailored to enable high-performance and sustainable solutions.

We particularly welcome studies focusing on the fundamental understanding and practical applications of interfacial phenomena, material–structure interactions, and strategies for performance enhancement. Topics of interest can include, but are not limited to, atomically engineered nanomaterials and nanozymes for electrocatalysis and CO₂ conversion; stimuli-responsive gels and polymers for intelligent control in energy systems or drilling operations; functional membranes and carbon-based hybrid composites for wastewater treatment, oil–water separation, and corrosion resistance; and colloidal systems and heterostructures, including CNT-based nanohybrids, for photocatalysis, phase change, heat transfer, and environmental sensing. Submissions exploring scalable fabrication methods, material behavior under extreme or field-relevant conditions, or synergistic effects at engineered interfaces are particularly encouraged.

This Topic seeks to bridge fundamental materials science with application-driven sustainable technologies, offering new insights into materials innovation that supports clean energy, green chemistry, and environmentally responsible industrial development. Contributions combining theoretical modeling, advanced characterization, and experimental validation under realistic conditions are most welcome.

Prof. Dr. Yang Bai
Dr. Gang Xie
Dr. Jingjie Ge
Topic Editors