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Molecules
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Functional Materials: Synthesis Strategies and Environmental Applications
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Functional Materials: Synthesis Strategies and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1877

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kunlei Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resources, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Interests: mixing technology; waste treatment; CFD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhishun Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
Interests: nanomaterials; photocatalyst; renewable energy; CO2 reduction; H2 generation; plasmonic photocatalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue highlights cutting-edge developments and frontier research in functional materials designed for treating diverse industrial effluents and municipal wastewater, with particular emphasis on their distinctive molecular-level chemical properties. These advanced materials demonstrate indispensable applications in environmental conservation, pollutant remediation, and chemical transformation processes.

Our distinguished contributors address a comprehensive spectrum of topics ranging from molecular-scale interactions in novel catalytic materials to innovative structural design paradigms. Moreover, they investigate the integration potential of nano-functional materials into existing treatment systems and explore the universal applicability of catalytic agents in conventional pollution management. Adopting a chemical science perspective, the featured articles underscore the transformative impact of catalytic materials in pollutant treatment, providing critical insights into their current capabilities and future potential through systematic analysis of fundamental mechanisms and practical applications.

Dr. Kunlei Wang
Dr. Zhishun Wei
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. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • environmental remediation
  • pollutant removal
  • materials chemistry
  • catalytic materials
  • environmental chemistry

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 9777 KB  
Article
The Role of Graphene Oxide and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Phytoremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soils Using Lolium perenne
by Katarzyna Wojtowicz, Teresa Steliga, Piotr Kapusta and Joanna Brzeszcz
Molecules 2026, 31(5), 890; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31050890 - 7 Mar 2026
Viewed by 139
Abstract
Nanomaterials are gaining increasing importance in various scientific and technological fields, including ecological strategies for environmental remediation, such as the treatment of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil remediation using graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO-NPs) [...] Read more.
Nanomaterials are gaining increasing importance in various scientific and technological fields, including ecological strategies for environmental remediation, such as the treatment of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil remediation using graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO-NPs) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) in combination with bacterial consortium inoculation and phytoremediation with Lolium perenne. The study was conducted in two stages: laboratory-scale biodegradation experiments and semi-technical scale phytoremediation. The laboratory stage determined optimal nanomaterial doses based on respirometric and chromatographic analyses. During phytoremediation, the contents of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, roots, and shoots were monitored. Biomass growth was recorded, and environmental toxicity was assessed using Phytotoxkit, Microtox, and Ostracodtoxkit tests. The addition of nanomaterials significantly enhanced soil remediation, with improvements in TPH and PAHs removal resulting from microbial biodegradation in both stages and, additionally, in the phytoremediation stage, from phytoextraction by plants. TPH biodegradation reached up to 81.85% in GO-NP variants and 80.9% in ZnO-NP treatments, while PAHs reached 73.19% and 70.66%, respectively. The biomass of Lolium perenne increased by 28.63% in GO-NP variants and by 22.21% in ZnO-NP treatments compared to the control. Total accumulation of TPH increased by 80.86% and 74.15%, and PAHs by 71.26% and 65.35%. Nanomaterial-amended variants also showed a reduction in toxicity units to 2.50–3.30. These results indicate that combining nanomaterials with bioaugmentation significantly enhances phytoremediation efficiency while reducing soil toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Materials: Synthesis Strategies and Environmental Applications)
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15 pages, 4516 KB  
Article
Chitin-Assisted Fabrication of an Fe3O4/BiOCl Composite for Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Ciprofloxacin
by Xiaoxing Zeng, Kunlei Wang, Hongting Ye, Xiaofeng Gong, Yanhong Yao and Fei Feng
Molecules 2026, 31(1), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31010134 - 30 Dec 2025
Viewed by 258
Abstract
A novel recyclable composite, Fe3O4/chitin/BiOCl, was synthesized via a solvothermal approach using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), bismuth nitrate pentahydrate (Bi(NO3)3·5H2O), chitin, and Fe3O4 as precursors. The composite was systematically characterized via [...] Read more.
A novel recyclable composite, Fe3O4/chitin/BiOCl, was synthesized via a solvothermal approach using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), bismuth nitrate pentahydrate (Bi(NO3)3·5H2O), chitin, and Fe3O4 as precursors. The composite was systematically characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Characterization results indicated that the incorporation of chitin significantly improved the porosity and specific surface area of the catalyst. Furthermore, the synergistic effects between chitin and Fe3O4 effectively reduced the recombination rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. The photocatalytic activity of the composite was evaluated by degrading ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible-light irradiation. When the contents of Fe3O4 and chitin were 5% and 2% (by weight), respectively, the catalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with a degradation rate of 89.54%, and the rate constant was 5.1 times higher than that of pure BiOCl. Additionally, the catalyst exhibited excellent magnetic recoverability and photocatalytic stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Materials: Synthesis Strategies and Environmental Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 2278 KB  
Review
Advances in Hydrodechlorination Technologies for Diclofenac Removal from Aqueous Systems
by Cristian Castillo, Jorge A. Mora and Maria H. Brijaldo
Molecules 2025, 30(16), 3332; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30163332 - 9 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1149
Abstract
This review article describes the most recent studies carried out on the catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) of Diclofenac (DFC). In this context, the most commonly employed catalytic materials for the removal of DFC from aqueous matrices are reviewed, along with their main performance outcomes. [...] Read more.
This review article describes the most recent studies carried out on the catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) of Diclofenac (DFC). In this context, the most commonly employed catalytic materials for the removal of DFC from aqueous matrices are reviewed, along with their main performance outcomes. Various strategies for the HDC of DFC are discussed, including conventional approaches that rely on molecular hydrogen as the electron donor, as well as emerging alternatives based on biocatalytic and electrocatalytic processes. Additionally, the optimized reaction conditions for each catalytic system are discussed, along with relevant kinetic models and mechanistic insights that contribute to a deeper understanding of the HDC of DFC. Future perspectives on the use of catalysts with alternative properties for DFC removal via HDC are also discussed, aiming to highlight potential applications in wastewater treatment and the broader field of heterogeneous catalysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Materials: Synthesis Strategies and Environmental Applications)
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