Green Materials for a Sustainable Future

The design and application of green solvents mark a significant advancement in sustainable chemistry, addressing environmental concerns while preserving the efficiency and selectivity of chemical processes. This focus on green solvents such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) which offer compelling properties such as low volatility, tunable polarity, and high thermal and chemical stability. The development of green solvents is deeply rooted in a strong foundation of chemical physics, physical chemistry, electrochemistry, green chemistry, and theoretical and computational chemistry. Understanding their properties and interactions at the molecular level is critical for industrial applications and sustainability goals. Investigations into the thermodynamic properties of liquid mixtures provide essential data for optimizing solvent performance under industrial conditions. Studies on liquid-liquid equilibria involving ILs and DESs offer insight into phase behaviour critical for separation and purification processes. Synthesis of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors demonstrates the role of green chemistry in materials protection, while the green synthesis of nanomaterials opens pathways for applications in catalysis, sensing, and industrial processing. Furthermore, the contribution of green solvents to energy storage and conversion through the development of safer, more sustainable materials and electrolytes highlights their pivotal role in next-generation energy technologies.

The Research Topic will focus on the development and application of green solvents, grounded in the fundamentals of chemistry such as molecular interactions, solubility principles, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamics, to address various industrial challenges. This focus is essential, as it emphasizes and advocates for the use of environmentally friendly solvents to enhance and optimize industrial processes. This also includes the experimental and computational approach. Green solvents, designed with a deep understanding of chemical properties and behaviours, can significantly reduce the toxicological impact of traditional solvents, minimize environmental waste, and improve reaction efficiency and selectivity. By aligning chemical reactivity with sustainability, these solvents contribute to greener synthesis pathways and more controlled industrial operations.

The Research Topic aims to enhance the fundamental understanding of green solvents by exploring their molecular properties and behaviour. It seeks to highlight innovative applications of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents in fields such as catalysis, materials synthesis, corrosion protection, and energy technologies. The Topic also encourages interdisciplinary research that integrates chemistry, materials science, and chemical engineering.

The scope of the Research Topic includes:

• Thermodynamics and thermophysical properties of liquid mixtures.
• Liquid-liquid equilibria using ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents.
• Evaluation of intermolecular interactions using a theoretical and computational approach.
• Synthesis of green materials as corrosion inhibitors.
• Synthesis, characterization and application of nanomaterials for industrial processes.
• Development of materials and systems for energy storage and conversions.

This can be in the form of original research article, review article or perspectives.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Synthesis; sustainability; green materials; environmental impact, thermodynamics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.