We are pleased to announce that selected high-quality papers presented at ICCAS-2025 will be published in a special issue of the Energy & Fuels journal (Impact Factor: 5.3), a prestigious publication by the American Chemical Society (ACS) . More information about the Energy & Fuel journal can be found at https://pubs.acs.org/journal/enfuem.

Instructions for the Special Issue:

Topics Covered

This special issue of Energy & Fuels highlights selected cutting-edge research presented at ICCAS-2025, and also invites contributions from renowned researchers in the field. It has a particular focus on innovations in clean energy conversion, sustainable fuels, and carbon management technologies. The special issue covers a wide range of topics within the journal's scope, including:

1. Hydrogen Production and Storage Technologies: Focuses on novel methods and materials for hydrogen production via photocatalysis, electrolysis, and thermochemical routes, including water/seawater splitting, solar-driven hydrogen generation, and green hydrogen from renewable resources.

2. Next-Generation Battery Technologies: Covers innovations in battery systems beyond lithium-ion, including solid-state, lithium-sulfur, sodium-ion, zinc-air, zinc-CO2, redox flow, and flexible batteries. Research on materials chemistry, charge/discharge kinetics, safety, and recyclability are encouraged.

3. Low-Cost Materials and Scalable Technologies: Focus on the development of cost-effective, earth-abundant materials for clean energy technologies. Includes scalable fabrication methods, additive manufacturing in energy devices, and life-cycle assessments for commercial viability.

4. CO₂ Capture and Utilization (CCU): Development of efficient materials and processes for capturing, converting, and valorizing carbon dioxide into valuable clean fuels and green chemicals.

5. Sustainable Catalysts and Photocatalysts: Innovative materials and mechanisms for catalytic, photocatalytic and electrochemical energy conversion systems to clean fuels and green chemicals.

6. Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in Energy Systems: AI-assisted modeling, optimization, and control of energy processes for increased sustainability for climate action.

7. Energy-Water-Food Nexus: Integrated approaches for enhancing climate resilience through efficient energy and resource use, with essential involvement of energy/fuel chemistry.

8. Energy/Fuel chemistry for Circular Economy: Addresses the broader system-level drivers of energy sustainability, including circular economy models for fuel and material reuse. Includes case studies and techno-economic assessments supporting energy transition pathways, with essential involvement of energy/fuel chemistry.

Instructions for Manuscript(s) Submission

Manuscript should be submitted via Energy & Fuels online submission system at https://pubs.acs.org/journal/enfuem/ by selecting this special issue. All submitted manuscripts will be screened by the editorial office and peer reviewed according to the usual standards of this journal, and will be evaluated on the basis of originality, quality, and relevance to this Special Issue.

• The manuscript should be formatted according to the journal style, according to the journal’s guidelines to authors (see https://pubs.acs.org/page/enfuem/submission/authors.html).
• In the cover letter, please clearly state that the submission is for the special issue of Recent Advances in Next-Generation Materials and Technologies for Clean Energy.
• In ACS online submission website, on the tab “Step 1: Type, Title, & Abstract”, please locate the subsection “Special Issue Selection (By Invitation Only)” and then select “Recent Advances in Next-Generation Materials and Technologies for Clean Energy”.
• Authors are required to provide the details (first and last names, institutions, and email addresses) of at least 6 potential reviewers, adhering to the guidelines below for avoiding unnecessary delays:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Potential reviewers should be experts in the topic area;
            2. Potential reviewers should NOT be from any of the authors' institutions;
            3. Suggested reviewers should be diverse and only reviewer should be from a single institution;
            4. Potential reviewers should NOT be editors of Energy & Fuels;
            5. Authors should take care NOT to recommend reviewers that have a real or perceived conflict of interests (e.g., a collaborator or someone who has recently published with one of the co-authors).

 

Important Dates

• Paper submission time window: 13 Oct – 28 Feb 2026
• Time for completing the whole editorial process: 10 weeks or less
• Publication of VSI editorial: 15 June 2026

Note: Each submission will be subjected to internal review within the editorial office. If passed, it will be sent out for external review.