The advent of graphene and, more recently, two-dimensional materials has opened new perspectives in electronics, optoelectronics, energy harvesting, and sensing applications. This book, based on a Special Issue published in Nanomaterials – MDPI covers experimental, simulation, and theoretical research on 2D materials and their van der Waals heterojunctions. The emphasis is the physical properties and the applications of 2D materials in state-of-the-art sensors and electronic or optoelectronic devices.

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In the last few decades, various composite gels have been developed. In recent years, further advances have been made in the development of novel composite gels with potential applications in various fields. This reprint offers the latest findings of composite gels by experts throughout the world.

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The extraordinary advancements recently achieved in materials science mostly derive from the capability to combine/hybridize solids on different dimensional scales. Applying such concepts and further knowledge in the surface/interface field to the energy sector represents an indispensable priority. This paper aims to reveal to scholars involved in the energy research area the enormous potential that functional interface science in hybrid solid systems has for energy transduction.

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This text presents recent developments in a wide range of applications of luminescent materials. It compiles contributions from a number of leading scientists in the field, and should be an inspiration for both established and new researchers in this exciting area of research. Thanks to developments in materials research, new applications, requiring specific phosphor properties, have emerged. Wavelength ranges have expanded towards UV and near-IR emission; highly performant persistent phosphors have been developed for safety illumination and bio-imaging; phosphors have been proposed for anti-counterfeiting, energy storage, photocatalysis, thermometry, scintillators and dosimetry; and new synthesis and characterization techniques for luminescent materials have been developed.

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This Special Issue includes manuscripts on mechanistic understanding, development, and implementation of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern in water and wastewater treatment. The main goal was successfully achieved under the joint effort of authors, anonymous reviewers, and editorial managers. In total, one review and 15 research papers are included in the Special Issue. These are mainly focused on catalyst synthesis, reactor design, treatment performance, kinetic modeling, reaction mechanisms, and by-product formation during electrochemical, photocatalytic, plasma, persulfate, chlorine, ozone-based, and Fenton-related AOPs at different scales. This Special Issue has received attention from researchers from different parts of the world such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Mexico, and the USA. The guest editors are happy to see that all papers presented are innovative and meaningful, and hope that this Special Issue can promote mechanistic understanding and engineering applications of AOPs for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern in water.

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Photocatalysis is an advanced technique that transforms solar energy into sustainable fuels and oxidizes pollutants via the aid of semiconductor photocatalysts. The main scientific and technological challenges toward effective photocatalysis are the stability, robustness, and efficiency of semiconductor photocatalysts. For major practical applications in energy conversion (i.e., hydrogen evolution, CO2 reduction, and oriented synthesis) and environmental remediation (i.e., air purification and antibacterial and wastewater treatment), highly efficient and stable photocatalysts need to be developed. This Special Issue collects published original researches on synthesizing novel photocatalytic materials and their application in energy conversion and environmental remediation.

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Semiconductor photocatalysts have attracted a great amount of multidiscipline research due to their high potential for solar-to-chemical-energy conversion applications, ranging from water and air purification to hydrogen and chemical fuel production. This unique diversity of photoinduced applications has spurred major research efforts on the rational design and development of photocatalytic materials with tailored structural, morphological, and optoelectronic properties in order to promote solar-light harvesting, easy photogenerated electron-hole recombination and the concomitant low quantum efficiency. This book presents a collection of original research articles on advanced photocatalytic materials, synthesized by novel fabrication approaches and/or innovative modifications that improve their performance in target photocatalytic applications such as water (cyanobacterial toxins, antibiotics, phenols, and dyes) and air (NOx and volatile organic compounds) pollutant degradation, hydrogen evolution, and hydrogen peroxide production by photoelectrochemical cells.

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Functional inorganic materials are an indispensable part of innovative technologies that are essential to the development of many fields of industry. The use of new materials, nanostructures, or multicomponent composites with specific chemical or physical properties promotes technological progress in electronics, optoelectronics, catalysis, biomedicine, and many other areas that are concerned with many aspects of human life. Due to the broad and diverse range of potential applications of functional inorganic materials, the development of superior synthesis pathways, their reliable characterization, and a deep understanding of the structure–property relationships in materials are rightfully considered to be fundamentally important scientific issues. Only synergetic efforts of scientists dealing with the synthesis, functionalization and characterization of materials will lead to the development of future technologies.

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Heterogeneous catalysis played, plays, and will continue to play, a major key role in industrial processes for large-scale synthesis of commodity chemicals of global importance, and in catalytic systems that possess a critical role in energy generation and environmental protection approaches. As a result of the ongoing progress in materials science, nanotechnology, and characterizations, great advances have been achieved in heterogeneous catalysis by nanomaterials. Efficient approaches and advanced methods for the design of nano-structured composite materials (up to atomic level), subject to specific nano-morphologies with enhanced metal–metal and metal–support interactions favorable for catalysis (that enable fine-tuning of the critical properties of the designed catalysts), provide optimized catalysts with outstanding performances in numerous eco-friendly and cost-effective applications. Accordingly, great progress has been achieved involving, for example, emissions control, waste treatment, photocatalytic, bio-refinery, CO2 utilization, and fuel cells applications, as well as hydrocarbon processing for H2, added-value chemicals, and liquid fuels production. The themed Special Issue has succeeded in collecting 10 high-quality contributions that cover recent research progress in the field for a variety of applications (e.g., environment, energy, added-value chemicals/organics synthesis, and bio-transformation) declaring the prospect and importance of nanomaterials in all the directions of heterogeneous catalysis.

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Electrochemical devices have drawn remarkable attention and elicited spectacular growth in recent decades for a broad range of applications, including energy storage, sensing, electrochemical processing, etc. Recent advances in nanomaterials and nanotechnology have boosted great promise for electrochemistry to offer reliable and high-performance devices. This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Nano-Electrochemical Materials and Devices”, aimed to focus on recent advances in the design, manufacture, and application of nanoelectrochemical materials and devices. This Special Issue included twelve papers, where nine original research papers highlighted novel research progress on advanced nanomaterials and nano-systems for oxygen reduction reactions, batteries, supercapacitors, and sensors. In addition, recent achievements in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, biosensors, and Li-CO2 batteries were comprehensively summarized in three review papers.

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This book delves into the latest developments in the synthesis, characteristics, and diverse applications of nanosheets. Within its chapters, readers will find comprehensive insights into innovative fabrication techniques for cutting-edge nanosheets and their hybrid heterostructures. Furthermore, the book thoroughly explores the emerging properties and applications of nanosheets across various domains, including supercapacitors for electric vehicles, fuel cells, electric discharge machining, heavy metal adsorption, and biomedical applications.

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The following Reprint, based on the Special Issue “Advances in Wastewater Treatment 2024”, compiles 12 papers (one Editorial, five review papers, and six original scientific papers) on innovative pollutant-removal technologies aimed at harnessing renewable energy from wastewater. Several papers included in this Special Issue address energy efficiency: the authors of one study assess the economic feasibility of a hydropower plant at the Toruń (Poland) treatment facility, while the authors of another study analyze energy use across three plants in southwestern Poland to propose strategies for reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint. In another study, the authors evaluate a novel Venturi-assisted confined tube aerator designed to lower aeration energy demand. The focus of three of the included papers is contaminant removal: synthesis and testing of Zn/Al layered double hydroxides for Congo red dye removal; assessment of low direct-current densities for phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic-compound removal in a sequential electrochemical reactor treating greenhouse wastewater; and evaluation of biochars and activated carbon for removing heavy metals from wastewater generated during soil remediation. The five review papers focus on renewable-energy integration for energy-self-sufficient municipal plants; advances in chemical coagulation and electrocoagulation; methanogenesis for biomethane production; solar-driven photocatalytic treatment using concentrator systems; and modeling and management strategies to optimize aeration energy use.

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Metal and metal oxide nanocomposites have received considerable attention as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents because of their diverse shape, size, high surface-to-volume ratio, chemical/physical stability, activity, and a greater degree of selectivity. The design and synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanocomposites (e.g. mono, bi-, tri-, and multi-metallic nanocomposites), as well as polymer-based nanocomposites and hydrogels with diversified nanostructures (e.g. nanoarrays, nanotubes, core-shell, nanosheets, and nanorods), has sparked considerable interest in terms of biomedical therapeutics, bioimaging, biosensors, drug delivery, and antimicrobial attributes.

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The reprint ’Aerogel Hybrids and Nanocomposites’ is a collection of the latest publications in the research, development, and use of complex aerogel-based materials. The applications of aerogels in hard tissue engineering, new wound-healing materials to challenge bacterial infections, and the making of wearable aerogel fibers reveal their role and potential in the biomedical fields. Catalytic applications of aerogels are well demonstrated by the papers on environmental protection and green hydrogen production. The efficient removal of rare-earth ions, as well as the sensitization of their luminescence in aerogels, makes them environmentally and analytically valuable materials.

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Today, the food and water that we encounter in any part of the world could contain antibiotic residues and/or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This book presents research evidence for this and also a potential way to mitigate the problem. Although not presented in this book, it is likely that this situation exists for all other types of antimicrobial agents as well, including antivirals, antifungals, and antiprotozoal agents. The presence of antibiotic residues and/or antibiotic-resistant bacteria contributes to the generation and propagation of resistance in disease-causing pathogens in humans and animals. Therefore, the medicines that we use to treat and/or prevent infections will not work as expected in many cases. It is estimated that if we do not contain antimicrobial resistance urgently, by 2050, up to 10 million people will die due to bacterial infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, skin infections, urinary tract infections, etc., which were once easily treatable. However, this book presents a system that can eliminate resistant bacteria and antibiotics from the environment, with the potential to work on other environmental microbes and antimicrobials. This book opens pathways for academics and scientists to do further research on antimicrobials and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in various environmental areas and also presents evidence for policymakers to take further action and make the general public aware of the current situation in this context.

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The increasingly stricter standards for effluent discharge and the decreasing availability of freshwater resources worldwide have made the development of advanced wastewater treatment technologies necessary. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are becoming an attractive alternative and a complementary treatment option to conventional methods. AOPs are used to improve the biodegradability of wastewaters containing non-biodegradable organics. Besides, AOPs may inactivate pathogenic microorganisms without adding additional chemicals to the water during disinfection, avoiding the formation of hazardous by-products. This Special Issue of Processes aims to cover recent progress and novel trends in the field of AOPs, including UV/H2O2, O3, sulphate-radical oxidation, nanotechnology in AOPs, heterogeneous photocatalysis, sonolysis, Fenton, photo-Fenton, electrochemical oxidation, and related oxidation processes. The topics to be addressed in this Special Issue of Processes may also include the application of AOPs at various scales (laboratory, pilot, or industrial scale), the degradation of emerging contaminants in water and wastewater and pollutants in the gas phase, the quantification of toxicicy in residuals, the development of novel catalytic materials and of hybrid processes, including the combination of AOPs with other technologies, process intensification, and the use of photo-electrochemical processes for energy production.

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Photoactive nanomaterials have been receiving increasing attention due to their potential application in the light-driven degradation of water and gas-phase pollutants. However, to exploit the great potential of photoactive materials and access their properties requires fine-tuning of their size/shape-dependent chemical–physical properties, and on the ability to integrate them in photoreactors or to deposit them onto large surfaces. Therefore, the synthetic approach as well as post-synthesis manipulation could strongly affect the final photocatalytic properties of the nanomaterial. The aim of the present Special Issue is to report on the most recent progress towards the application of photoactive nanomaterials and nanomaterial-based coatings in pollutant degradation, paying particular attention to cases close to real application: scalable synthetic approaches to nanocatalysts, preparation of nanocatalyst-based coatings, degradation of real pollutants and bacterial inactivation, and application in building materials.

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Adequate quality of life and well-being of modern societies is only achievable with sustainable manufacturing processes that efficiently use raw materials, eliminate waste, and avoid the use of hazardous materials. All this is hardly conceivable without catalysis. In a world concerned with the exploitation of natural resources, catalysis can offer direct synthesis routes that maximize resource efficiency. The Iberoamerican society is far too significant and far too involved in global development, owing to its natural richness of resources, not to have an essential role in current developments and future directions. Catalysis, in the Iberoamerican academic and industrial communities, is recognized as a relevant scientific discipline that supports several strategic industrial sectors through the manufacturing of products and materials, and the operationalization of processes to produce energy and other utilities. As a reflection of this, once every two years the Iberoamerican Congress on Catalysis takes place to share and discuss the state-of-the-art of this discipline with the Federation of Iberoamerican Catalysis Societies. This book collected sixteen outstanding contributions, stemming from this exceptional event—one which will undoubtedly mark a turning point and could be a source of inspiration to all those involved in catalysis, particularly the young generation of competent researchers taking their first steps in this incredibly complex and beautiful discipline.

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The current endeavor of publishing a reprint on the astounding field of research on carbon dots has its roots in the launch of the Special Issue entitled "Catalytic methods for the synthesis of carbon nanodots and their applications”. Ever since this Special Issue was launched on 29th August 2022, it has attracted great attention from researchers worldwide. Grateful thanks are due to Dr. Nimala Kumar Jangid and coworkers from India; Dr. Syed Hadi Hasan and coworkers from India; Dr. Lerato L Mokoloko and coworkers from South Africa; Dr. Siti Kastom Kamarudin and coworkers from Malaysia; Dr. Selvaraj Roomani and coworkers from India; Dr. Ahmad Umar and coworkers from India, Saudi Arabia and USA; Dr. Ramon Moreno-Tost and coworkers from Spain; Dr. Jae Hong Kim and coworkers from South Korea and Japan; Dr. Yong RokLee and coworkers from India, South Korea and UAE; and Dr. Joydeep Das from India for their scientific contributions. In a duration of 14 months, 12 state-of-the-art papers were published. Out of the 12 papers published, 4 were comprehensive reviews and 8 were original research articles. This shows the enthusiasm that this research topic has aroused globally.

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This special issue focuses on energy and the environment, including the latest research results and prospects. The special issue contains eleven original articles and two review articles. Most of the works focused on the synthesis and related mechanisms of photocatalytic nanomaterials. Photocatalysis technology has great potential to solve energy shortages and environmental pollution. Improving the sunlight utilization efficiency and catalytic activity of photocatalytic nanomaterials is the key problem that restricts the large-scale application of photocatalytic technology. This special issue details the internal mechanism of enhancing photocatalytic activity from element doping, constructing composite heterogeneous structures, introducing organic photosensitive materials, morphology control, and so on. These contributions provide various approaches to designing and establishing efficient photocatalytic nanomaterials.

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Catalytic oxidation or reduction processes are among the most efficient processes for water and wastewater treatment. These include photocatalysis, sulfate and hydroxyl-radical-based advanced oxidation processes.This Special Issue contains the contributions of different research groups and discusses the recent progress and advances in catalytic processes in water and wastewater treatment.

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Increasing attention is being paid to the development of effective technologies for the sequestration of CO2 and its storage. Hopefully, this will result in processes that can lead to its valorisation as a chemical, e.g., for the regeneration of fuels, but also for the production of intermediates. These are usually energy demands and rather slow processes, requiring energy input and catalysts. Some examples are the innovative strategies for the hydrogenation, photoconversion, or electroreduction of carbon dioxide. This book collects original research papers, reviews, and commentaries focused on the challenges related to the valorisation and conversion of CO2.

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This Special Issue on “Cement-Based Composites: Advancements in Development and Characterization” presents the latest research and advances in the field of cement-based composites. This Special Issue covers a variety of experimental studies related to fiber-reinforced, photocatalytic, lightweight, and sustainable cement-based composites. Moreover, simulation studies are presented in this Special Issue to provide fundamental knowledge of designing and optimizing the properties of cementitious composites. The presented publications in this Special Issue show the most recent technology in the cement-based composite field.

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This selection is focused on coatings and films with applications in optoelectronics, such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and light-based sensors and phenomena. The studies investigate the optimal composition, crystalline structure, and morphology to deliver the different functionalities sought. Obtaining transparent p-type electrodes is challenging but extremely relevant in optoelectronics. Electric conduction mechanisms and the correlations with structure and doping are discussed. The important issue of the degradation pathways in perovskite-based solar cells and the possibilities offered by different types of coatings to encapsulate the devices as well as the beneficial effect of silica coating as an antireflection and antisoiling layer on well-established solar cells are discussed. New designs of nanoplasmonic films for chemical and biological molecule sensing are reviewed, such as the combination of metallic nanoparticles and nanostructured semiconductors and dispersing metallic or bi-metallic nanoparticles in CuO films. The impacts of structure, defects, and morphology on the photoactivated properties of WO3 films and on the shape memory behavior in Cu–Al–Ni thin films are discussed. Aggregated TiO2 nanoparticles on TiO2 layers are shown to enhance optical transmittance and confer a superhydrophilic characteristic. Finally, aspects of the fundamental characterization of thin films, Drude damping in thin films, and laser-induced deflection technique are discussed.

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This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact

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Due to their unique size-dependent physicochemical properties, nanostructured thin films are used in a wide range of applications from smart coating and drug delivery to electrocatalysis and highly-sensitive sensors. Depending on the targeted application and the deposition technique, these materials have been designed and developed by tuning their atomic-molecular 2D- and/or 3D-aggregation, thickness, crystallinity, and porosity, having effects on their optical, mechanical, catalytic, and conductive properties. Several open questions remain about the impact of nanomaterial production and use on environment and health. Many efforts are currently being made not only to prevent nanotechnologies and nanomaterials from contributing to environmental pollution but also to design nanomaterials to support, control, and protect the environment. This Special Issue aims to cover the recent advances in designing nanostructured films focusing on environmental issues related to their fabrication processes (e.g., low power and low cost technologies, the use of environmentally friendly solvents), their precursors (e.g., waste-recycled, bio-based, biodegradable, and natural materials), their applications (e.g., controlled release of chemicals, mimicking of natural processes, and clean energy conversion and storage), and their use in monitoring environment pollution (e.g., sensors optically- or electrically-sensitive to pollutants)

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Energy crises and environmental pollution are two serious problems facing the development of human society. Photocatalysis is a promising environmentally friendly technology to address the above issues due to its low energy input and carbon footprint. In particular, graphitic carbon nitride, a typical organic–nonmetallic semiconductor photocatalyst, has become a research hotspot due to its unique properties; g-C3N4 is innoxious, inexpensive, easy to synthesize, has an appropriate energy band gap (2.7 eV), and demonstrates outstanding thermal stability and chemical stability. Nevertheless, some inherent scientific factors, such as its small surface area, low utilization of visible light, and fast recombination of electrons and holes, limit its applications in the field of photocatalysis. Among key modification methods, the construction of a heterojunction/homojunction between graphitic carbon nitride and other semiconductor photocatalysts with interleaved energy band positions is an effective approach to improve photocatalytic activity, attributed to the accelerated photon-generated carrier transfer rate. In particular, such S-scheme structures can simultaneously accelerate photon-generated carrier transfer rates and yield higher redox potentials. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a neoteric g-C3N4-based photocatalytic system that can further promote the development of photocatalysis.

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The Special Issue, “Effect of the Modification of Catalysts on the Catalytic Performance”, should be of great interest to all researchers involved in this scientific area regarding the synthesis and characterization of various catalysts or catalytic materials; catalytic performance (activity and selectivity); synergetic effect; and the modification of catalysts or suitable promoters that are added to modify the catalyst structure.

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The recognition of global climate change as an environmental issue has drawn attention to the climatic impact of human activities. Scientists and environmentalists have pointed out that human-induced climate change results from disturbances in all aspects of the environment. Among them, aquatic environments (including water, sediments, aquatic organisms, etc.,) are closely related to all kinds of human interference. However, they are under increasing stress due to climate change and human disturbances, such as an increased input of pollutants, a loss of biodiversity and a decrease in ecological functions. Fortunately, realizing the urgency and importance of the matter, researchers have started to work on coping strategies, including effective water treatment and energy recovery. This Special Issue focuses on revealing the effects of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances on water ecological environments, analyzing physical, chemical and biological aspects.

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This Special Issue includes recent research articles and extensive reviews on graphene-based next-generation electronics, bringing together perspectives from different branches of science and engineering. The papers presented in this volume cover experimental, computational and theoretical aspects of the electrical and thermal properties of graphene and its applications in batteries, electrodes, sensors and ferromagnetism. In addition, this Special Issue covers many important state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies regarding the synthesis, fabrication, characterization and applications of graphene-based nanocomposites.

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