To achieve the carbon-neutral target, utilization of both green solvents and renewable carbon resources becomes imperative. Solvents play essential roles in many industrial processes, e.g., synthesis, extraction, purification, and separation. However, conventional solvents are generally toxic and nonrenewable, and their properties are difficult to be adjusted. In contrast, green solvents, i.e., ionic liquids (ILs), deep eutectic solvents (DESs), and supercritical fluids (SCFs), have attracted significant interest, particularly in the fields of material preparation and chemical reactions. The tunable properties (e.g., polarity, surface tension, and solvent power) and compositions afford green solvents with unique chemical structures and interactions with precursors, thus functional materials with advanced structures and properties can be constructed. Similarly, the activation energy of chemical reactions can be lowered by the unique solvation and interactions of green solvents, thus improving reaction reactivity. Additionally, renewable solvents (e.g., 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, γ-valerolactone, and anisole) have become an emerging type of sustainable solvents, and their utilization can relieve the excessive reliance on fossil-based solvents.
Great progress has been made in the material preparation and transformation of renewable carbon resources using green solvents. However, several important aspects need to be further investigated. First, it is necessary to explore different types of green solvents due to various requirements in the labs and industries. Second, the relationships between the unique properties of green solvents and special structures of materials require to be accurately explored. Third, the deep investigation of the activating model of green solvents for different chemical bonds in biomass and small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4) is highly important in order to realize their mild and efficient conversion. Finally, innovative approaches, such as mixing green solvents as well as a suitable combination of green solvents and catalysts, have great potential to generate new properties, which benefits the preparation of functional materials and conversion of biomass to retain specific functional groups.
In this Research Topic, we hope to promote the investigation on the nature of green solvents to construct advanced materials and improve the catalytic performance of chemical reactions. Particular attention will be devoted in the areas of new approaches of utilizing green solvents to synthesize and modify functional materials (e.g., nano-membranes, ionogels, polymers, and other functional nanomaterials), and conduct important chemical reactions, i.e., the transformation of biomass and conversion of small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4).
We welcome original research, reviews, and perspective articles that focus on (but are not limited to) the following themes:
• Design of task-specific ionic liquids, functional DESs, switchable solvents, and renewable solvents
• Transformation of renewable lignocellulosic biomass and small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4) in green solvents
• Mechanism of chemical reactions in green solvents, especially for the thermal, photochemical, and electrocatalytic conversion of biomass and small molecules
• Preparation and modification of functional materials in/utilizing green solvents, including nano-membranes, metal organic frameworks, ionogels, polymers, and other functional materials
• Theoretical investigation, numerical optimization, chemical nature, and surface interface characterizations in green solvents
To achieve the carbon-neutral target, utilization of both green solvents and renewable carbon resources becomes imperative. Solvents play essential roles in many industrial processes, e.g., synthesis, extraction, purification, and separation. However, conventional solvents are generally toxic and nonrenewable, and their properties are difficult to be adjusted. In contrast, green solvents, i.e., ionic liquids (ILs), deep eutectic solvents (DESs), and supercritical fluids (SCFs), have attracted significant interest, particularly in the fields of material preparation and chemical reactions. The tunable properties (e.g., polarity, surface tension, and solvent power) and compositions afford green solvents with unique chemical structures and interactions with precursors, thus functional materials with advanced structures and properties can be constructed. Similarly, the activation energy of chemical reactions can be lowered by the unique solvation and interactions of green solvents, thus improving reaction reactivity. Additionally, renewable solvents (e.g., 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, γ-valerolactone, and anisole) have become an emerging type of sustainable solvents, and their utilization can relieve the excessive reliance on fossil-based solvents.
Great progress has been made in the material preparation and transformation of renewable carbon resources using green solvents. However, several important aspects need to be further investigated. First, it is necessary to explore different types of green solvents due to various requirements in the labs and industries. Second, the relationships between the unique properties of green solvents and special structures of materials require to be accurately explored. Third, the deep investigation of the activating model of green solvents for different chemical bonds in biomass and small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4) is highly important in order to realize their mild and efficient conversion. Finally, innovative approaches, such as mixing green solvents as well as a suitable combination of green solvents and catalysts, have great potential to generate new properties, which benefits the preparation of functional materials and conversion of biomass to retain specific functional groups.
In this Research Topic, we hope to promote the investigation on the nature of green solvents to construct advanced materials and improve the catalytic performance of chemical reactions. Particular attention will be devoted in the areas of new approaches of utilizing green solvents to synthesize and modify functional materials (e.g., nano-membranes, ionogels, polymers, and other functional nanomaterials), and conduct important chemical reactions, i.e., the transformation of biomass and conversion of small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4).
We welcome original research, reviews, and perspective articles that focus on (but are not limited to) the following themes:
• Design of task-specific ionic liquids, functional DESs, switchable solvents, and renewable solvents
• Transformation of renewable lignocellulosic biomass and small molecules (e.g., CO2, N2, and CH4) in green solvents
• Mechanism of chemical reactions in green solvents, especially for the thermal, photochemical, and electrocatalytic conversion of biomass and small molecules
• Preparation and modification of functional materials in/utilizing green solvents, including nano-membranes, metal organic frameworks, ionogels, polymers, and other functional materials
• Theoretical investigation, numerical optimization, chemical nature, and surface interface characterizations in green solvents