Advanced Adsorbents and Catalysts: Tackling Pollution and Powering the Energy Transition

The twin pressures of environmental pollution and energy insecurity demand materials that do more with less — higher selectivity, greater stability, and real-world scalability. Adsorbents and catalysts sit at the center of this challenge. From MOF-based sorbents that capture CO₂ with unprecedented efficiency to nanostructured catalysts that convert pollutants into value-added products, recent breakthroughs are redefining what these materials can do — and where they can go. Understanding the thermodynamic, interfacial, and energetic factors that govern these processes is increasingly essential to move beyond conventional capacity metrics and unlock true material performance.This Research Topic brings together the latest advances in the design, synthesis, and application of adsorbents and catalysts for environmental remediation and energy storage. We focus on materials that bridge the lab-to-application gap: those with demonstrated performance under realistic conditions, clear structure–activity relationships, and potential for scale-up. Cross-cutting contributions — including bifunctional systems, computational screening, and sustainability assessments — are especially encouraged.We welcome original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles.Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):-MOFs, zeolites, porous carbons, graphene-based systems, and hybrid porous materials for selective pollutant removal-Nanostructured and single-atom catalysts for environmental remediation-Thermodynamic, interfacial, and energetic aspects of adsorption and catalytic processes-Design principles linking material structure to adsorption and catalytic performance-Bifunctional materials integrating adsorption and catalysis in a single system-Catalytic and adsorptive solutions for CO₂ capture, activation, and conversion-Adsorbents and catalysts for next-generation energy storage applications-Regenerability, durability, and scale-up of advanced environmental materials-Computational screening and machine learning for accelerated materials discovery-Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of emerging material systems Topic editors: Liliana Giraldo, Nahum Andres Medellin Castillo, Jarosław Serafin, JUAN CARLOS MORENO-PIRAJAN Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81659/advanced-adsorbents-and-catalysts-tackling-pollution-and-powering-the-energy-transition