Materials and Catalysts for Pollutants and CO₂ Capture and Transformation

Dear Colleagues,

This is call for papers that focus on the topic of materials and catalysts that are capable of capturing or transforming pollutants and CO₂; studies that explore process analyses and profitability are also very welcome. Nowadays, the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere, soil and water is increasing due to human activity, causing a negative environmental impact in many ecosystems. Different approaches to environmental remediation that could mitigate this phenomenon include three steps: reducing emissions, capturing pollutants from the ecosystem and converting them to valuable chemicals. A profitable technology for CO₂ and pollutants conversion to valuable products would accelerate industrial implementation. That is why an particular emphasis must be given to this applicability, where catalyst and materials play a crucial role.

During last decade, many procedures/technologies have been developed using catalysts, which have led to a wide range of products, from simple molecules such as H₂ to very complex hydrocarbons. All of these hydrocarbons have industrial applications, and thus they promote the development of a circular economy. Similar to a circular economy, the development of active materials and catalysts designed to be easily reused as many times as possible, and then recycled after their active life, is one of the actual greatest challenges in this field. In addition, they should be obtained from a very abundant source.

However, since not only one procedure will be able to solve this contamination problem, several procedures that help to restore desirable levels of clean air would be also consideredIn the short term, there is a particular interest in converting CO₂ to fuels or energy vectors, as this technology would recycle the CO₂ emitted by fossil-fuel-based industries and activities, considerably reducing their carbon footprint. The aim of this Special Issue is to cover the research trends on materials and catalysts for the capture and conversion of CO₂ and pollutants. Full papers, short communications and reviews in this field are welcomed. Mini-reviews with an overview on state-of-the-art innovations with the future perspectives and trends will be also considered.

Dr. Vicente Montes
Dr. Rafael Estevez
Dr. Manuel Checa
Topic Editors