This Special Issue will highlight recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, modeling, and application of materials for hydrogen production technologies. Submit your manuscript by July 1, 2027.
Materials play a central role in hydrogen production processes, including water electrolysis, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting, thermochemical routes, and biomass conversion. Catalysts, membranes, photoelectrodes, and supporting materials directly influence efficiency, selectivity, durability, and overall system performance. Recent developments in nanostructured materials, earth-abundant catalysts, advanced characterization methods, and computational design have accelerated progress toward more sustainable hydrogen production technologies.
This Special Issue at ACS Materials Letters will highlight recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, modelling, and application of materials for hydrogen production technologies, including water electrolysis, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting, and emerging sustainable hydrogen-generation routes.
Topics of Interest
Topics include, but are not limited to:
Core Materials and Catalysis
- Electrocatalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER)
- Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)
- Bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting
- Non-precious metal and earth-abundant catalysts
- Single-atom catalysts for hydrogen generation
- High-entropy materials for electrolysis applications
Water Electrolysis Technologies
- Materials for alkaline water electrolysis
- Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis materials
- Solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) materials
- Anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis systems
- Durable electrode and membrane materials
Photocatalytic and Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production
- Semiconductor photocatalysts for water splitting
- Photoelectrode materials and architectures
- Perovskite-based systems for solar hydrogen production
- Visible-light-responsive photocatalysts
- Heterojunction and nanostructured photoactive materials
Emerging Materials
- Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for hydrogen production
- Covalent organic frameworks (COFs)
- Carbon-based materials and composites
- Two-dimensional materials (e.g., MXenes, graphene derivatives)
- Advanced ceramic materials
Materials Design and Characterization
- Computational materials discovery and machine learning
- Density functional theory (DFT) studies of catalytic mechanisms
- In situ and operando characterization techniques
- Structure–property relationships in hydrogen-production materials
- Defect engineering and surface modification strategies
Sustainable and Scalable Solutions
- Critical-material-free and low-cost catalysts
- Green synthesis routes for hydrogen-production materials
- Materials stability and degradation mechanisms
- Scale-up and industrial implementation challenges
Organizing Editors
Prof. Bin Liu, Associate Editor, ACS Materials Letters
City University of Hong Kong, China
Prof. Nam Ki Tae, Guest Editor
Seoul National University, Republic of Korea
Prof. Minghua Shao, Guest Editor
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China
Submission Information
We welcome submissions for this Special Issue through July 1, 2027. For more information on submission requirements, please review the journal’s Author Guidelines.
Manuscript types considered for this Special Issue will include include Letters, Perspectives, Reviews, and Viewpoints. All submissions will undergo the full, rigorous peer review process expected from ACS journals. Papers accepted for publication in this Special Issue will be available online ASAP (as soon as publishable). Once all accepted papers are published, they will be compiled on a dedicated landing page to form the Special Issue.
How to Submit
- Log in to the ACS Publishing Center.
- Select your manuscript type; upload your manuscript and related files.
- Review the title and abstract fields to confirm any pre-populated information has transferred correctly.
- Under “Special Issue Selection,” select Materials for Hydrogen Production.
- Confirm all other information is correct.
- Submit your article.
If you have any general questions regarding submission to this Special Issue, please contact Prof. Bin Liu (liu-office@materialslett.acs.org).
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