Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional materials are key enabling technologies for chemical sensing and environmental sustainability. In recent years, advanced materials (e.g., nanomaterials, thin films, thick films, composites, hybrid materials, organic/inorganic materials, polymers, metals, ceramics and 2D materials) have been integrated into innovative devices and sensor systems to achieve new functionalities, miniaturization and high performance. New proof concepts and demonstrators have been designed for chemical engineering, industrial process control, environmental sustainability, monitoring and remediation. Many practical applications have been implemented in different technological fields including the following:

• Chemical sensing (gas, VOCs, PM, and other emergent pollutants);
• Greenhouse gas monitoring;
• Wireless sensor networks;
• Water pollution detection;
• Soil remediation;
• Urban case studies;
• Indoor monitoring;
• IoT applications;
• Industrial process control;
• Smart materials by AI.

I widely encourage the submission of feature papers within the topic of functional materials for chemical sensing and environmental sustainability to build upon the recent advancements tackling global warning and air pollution, promoting sustainable development through green engineering and smart devices including new digital technologies for green transition.

Prof. Dr. Michele Penza
Prof. Dr. Guanying Chen
Dr. Anming Hu
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Chemosensors chemosensors	3.7	7.3	2013	19.1 Days	CHF 2000	Submit
Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing jmmp	3.3	5.2	2017	15.9 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Materials materials	3.2	6.4	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Nanomaterials nanomaterials	4.3	9.2	2010	14 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Sensors sensors	3.5	8.2	2001	17.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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All Chemosensors JMMP Materials Nanomaterials Sensors

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Open AccessArticle

Novel Smartphone Paper Sensor for One Health: Monitoring Free Chlorine in Water and Exhaled Breath Condensate

by Caterina Cambrea, Robert Josue Rodriguez Arias, Riccardo Desiderio, Faisal Nazir, Maria Maddalena Calabretta and Elisa Michelini

Sensors 2026, 26(10), 3066; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26103066 - 12 May 2026

Abstract

Disinfection is essential to ensure safe drinking water and hygienic conditions in environmental, industrial, and clinical settings. However, conventional methods for monitoring free residual chlorine are often laboratory-based and not suited for decentralized analysis. Here, we report a novel paper-based colorimetric biosensing platform [...] Read more.

Disinfection is essential to ensure safe drinking water and hygienic conditions in environmental, industrial, and clinical settings. However, conventional methods for monitoring free residual chlorine are often laboratory-based and not suited for decentralized analysis. Here, we report a novel paper-based colorimetric biosensing platform that translates the ISO 7393-2 standard, a method based on the reaction of chlorine with N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPD), into a portable and user-friendly format. The proposed device integrates the DPD chemistry within a paper architecture, enabling reagent-free operation at the point of need. The sensor provides a rapid visual readout that is detectable by the naked eye, while quantitative analysis is achieved within 3 min through smartphone-based image acquisition. This work constitutes the first implementation of the ISO standard in a portable paper-based format suitable for both environmental and clinical matrices. The sensor provided a detection limit of 12 μM for sodium hypochlorite and was successfully validated in real samples, including bottled water and exhaled breath condensate, with satisfactory recoveries. Furthermore, the stability of the paper-based sensor was assessed under storage conditions of 4 °C and room temperature (23 °C), demonstrating excellent performance over 30 days in both cases, indicating that refrigeration is not required for maintaining sensor performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications)

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14 pages, 8140 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Laser-Driven Reactive Sintering of Cu–Liquid Metal on Paper for Flexible Microwave Sensors

by Ruo-Zhou Li, Mengchen Xu, Yiming Zhong, Yuhong Xia, Dongyang Lu, Zehua Wang, Ke Qu, Ying Yu and Jing Yan

Nanomaterials 2026, 16(10), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16100571 - 7 May 2026

Viewed by 447

Abstract

The expansion of paper-based and wearable microwave electronics demands conductors that are highly conductive, finely patterned, mechanically robust, and compatible with low-cost, biodegradable substrates. This study reports a laser-scribing strategy for high-performance copper–liquid metal (Cu–LM) conductors on paper based on laser sintering of [...] Read more.

The expansion of paper-based and wearable microwave electronics demands conductors that are highly conductive, finely patterned, mechanically robust, and compatible with low-cost, biodegradable substrates. This study reports a laser-scribing strategy for high-performance copper–liquid metal (Cu–LM) conductors on paper based on laser sintering of Cu–LM composite particles, with an auxiliary adhesive transfer step to facilitate integration on flexible substrates. Laser-induced reactive sintering creates a network wherein sintered liquid metal and CuGa₂ acts as a conductive bridge, interconnecting the dispersed Cu particles. This provides efficient electron transport pathways, achieving a high conductivity of 4.2 × 10⁶ S/m under optimal laser conditions, surpassing that of pure eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) alloys. The self-healing nature of LM enables exceptional mechanical flexibility and stable electrical performance under severe deformation. The utility of this platform is demonstrated by a miniaturized microwave liquid level sensor that provides multi-parameter water-level detection and sensor calibration. These results establish laser-scribed Cu–LM on paper as a low-cost and disposable option for high-performance microwave sensors and flexible wireless electronics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications)

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15 pages, 3971 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Controlled Plasmonic Coupling in Silver Nanoplate Dimers for Enhanced Plasmonic Sensing

by Lucrezia Catanzaro, Marcello Condorelli, Mario Pulvirenti, Luisa D’urso and Giuseppe Compagnini

Nanomaterials 2026, 16(8), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16080486 - 19 Apr 2026

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Abstract

Noble metal nanostructures provide versatile platforms for light manipulation through localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). Among them, triangular silver nanoplates (AgNPTs) exhibit strong field-enhancement and spectral tunability, yet assembling them reproducibly on solids is challenging. We report a two-step functionalization strategy for constructing [...] Read more.

Noble metal nanostructures provide versatile platforms for light manipulation through localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). Among them, triangular silver nanoplates (AgNPTs) exhibit strong field-enhancement and spectral tunability, yet assembling them reproducibly on solids is challenging. We report a two-step functionalization strategy for constructing ordered AgNPT dimers on silica substrates, combining 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) anchoring with 1,4-butanedithiol bridging. AFM reveals face-to-face dimers with well-defined sub-nanometer gaps. Large-area AFM statistics collected over multiple regions (N = 80 nanoplates per condition) confirm reproducible and selective vertical dimerization. Extinction spectroscopy reveals sequential dielectric and coupling effects: thiol adsorption red-shifts the main resonance from 700 to 780 nm because of increased local refractive index and near-field damping, whereas dimerization partially restores it to ≈750 nm, consistent with plasmon hybridization within rigid ∼0.7 nm molecular gaps, where nonclassical moderation may occur but classical hybridization fully explains the observed shifts. Concomitantly, the extinction intensity doubles, following an exponential growth toward saturation during assembly. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) confirm a fourfold increase in the SERS enhancement factor from monolayer to bilayer, consistent with near-field coupling and hotspot formation at interplate junctions. Quantitative plasmon sensitivity analysis yields comparable results between experiments and finite-difference-time-domain simulations, confirming that the observed spectral shifts arise from near-field coupling and dielectric modulation rather than ensemble effects. This reproducible methodology enables precise tuning of NPT orientation, spacing, and optical response, providing a robust platform for enhanced sensing, SERS, and nanophotonic device engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications)

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30 pages, 4020 KB  

Open AccessReview

Planar Microwave Sensing Technology for Soil Monitoring

by Salman Alduwish, Yongxiang Li, James Scott, Akram Hourani and Nasir Mahmood

Sensors 2026, 26(8), 2509; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082509 - 18 Apr 2026

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Abstract

Planar microwave (MW) sensors offer high-resolution, non-invasive technology for monitoring critical soil properties, serving as a support for modern precision agriculture. While laboratory studies confirm their exceptional sensitivity, the widespread adoption of these sensors is severely impeded by critical translational challenges that constitute [...] Read more.

Planar microwave (MW) sensors offer high-resolution, non-invasive technology for monitoring critical soil properties, serving as a support for modern precision agriculture. While laboratory studies confirm their exceptional sensitivity, the widespread adoption of these sensors is severely impeded by critical translational challenges that constitute a defining “lab-to-field gap”. These barriers include high sensor-to-sensor variability, debilitating thermal cross-sensitivity, soil heterogeneity necessitating unique site-specific calibration, and the enduring tension between high-performance and cost-effective scaling. This review systematically synthesizes the current state of planar permittivity MW technology, moving beyond technical mechanisms to critically assess these operational limitations. We detail advanced architectural strategies designed to bridge this gap, focusing particularly on the transition toward more robust solutions. The key strategies analyzed include the adoption of differential sensor designs using microstrip patch antennas to mitigate common-mode environmental errors, the integration of ultra-compact metamaterial structures such as split-ring resonators (SRRs) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) for enhanced field robustness and deep soil sensing, and the necessity of multi-parameter sensing capabilities (moisture, pH, and salinity). By establishing a comprehensive roadmap that prioritizes field stability, cost efficiency, and seamless IoT integration, this review demonstrates that planar MW sensors are poised to become reliable and scalable tools. Addressing these critical translational hurdles will ensure optimal resource management, significantly enhance crop productivity, and enable sustainable practices within smart farming ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications)

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23 pages, 4558 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Copper Ion Detection Using Green Precursor-Derived Carbon Dots in Aqueous Media

by Chao-Sheng Chen, Miao-Wei Lin and Chin-Feng Wan

Chemosensors 2026, 14(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14010021 - 9 Jan 2026

Viewed by 1089

Abstract

Highly accurate quantitative detection of heavy metals is crucial for preventing environmental pollution and safeguarding public health. To address the demand for sensitive and specific detection of Cu²⁺ ions, we have developed carbon dots using a simple hydrothermal process. The synthesized carbon [...] Read more.

Highly accurate quantitative detection of heavy metals is crucial for preventing environmental pollution and safeguarding public health. To address the demand for sensitive and specific detection of Cu²⁺ ions, we have developed carbon dots using a simple hydrothermal process. The synthesized carbon dots are highly stable in aqueous media, environmentally friendly, and exhibit strong blue photoluminescence at 440 nm when excited at 352 nm, with a quantum yield of 5.73%. Additionally, the size distribution of the carbon dots ranges from 2.0 to 20 nm, and they feature excitation-dependent emission. They retain consistent optical properties across a wide pH range and under high ionic strength. The photoluminescent probes are selectively quenched by Cu²⁺ ions, with no interference observed from other metal cations such as Ag⁺, Ca²⁺, Cr³⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Sn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Sr²⁺, and Zn²⁺. The emission of carbon dots exhibits a strong linear correlation with Cu²⁺ concentration in the range of 0–14 μM via a static quenching mechanism, with a detection limit (LOD) of 4.77 μM in water. The proposed carbon dot sensor is low cost and has been successfully tested for detecting Cu²⁺ ions in general water samples collected from rivers in Taiwan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Functional Materials for Chemical Sensing and Environmental Sustainability: Trends, Concepts and Applications)

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