The transition from fossil to renewable feedstocks is one of the central challenges in building climate-neutral and resilient chemical value chains. To fully unlock the potential of renewable resources, the next generation of reactors must become flexible, adaptive and decentralised—capable of maintaining optimal performance despite fluctuating compositions of natural feedstocks. This requires new concepts for integrated sensor technologies, advanced data-driven and mechanistic modelling, and responsive reactor materials that can autonomously regulate heat and mass transfer or catalytic access.
The concept of SMART reactors—Sustainable, Multipurpose, Autonomous, Resilient and Transferable—addresses these challenges by merging process engineering with materials science, analytics, electronics and data science. SMART reactors are envisioned to detect local states, interpret them through rigorous models and translate them into real-time actuation.
This Special Issue invites contributions that advance the scientific and technological foundations of SMART reactors.
Topics of interest include:
- Novel in situ and operando sensor technologies and data acquisition
- Responsive and adaptive reactor materials or components
- Coupled modelling–experiment approaches for local process control
- Advanced imaging and analytical methods
- Strategies for autonomous process optimisation and self-adjusting reactor operation
- Case studies demonstrating adaptive reactor behaviour in chemical or biochemical systems
- Further developments towards other SMART unit operations
We particularly welcome interdisciplinary work that integrates materials development, process analytics, modelling and control concepts, or that demonstrates autonomous reactor behaviour using relevant reactions. This Special Issue aims to showcase the scientific breakthroughs that will shape the next generation of flexible, efficient and resilient chemical processes.
Deadline for submission: 01-Mar-2026.
Please send us an email if you would like to contribute to this Special Issue.
Sincerely,
Irina Smirnova (Guest Editor, Institute of Thermal Separation Processes, TUHH)
Michael Schlüter (Guest Editor, Institute of Multiphase Flows, TUHH)
Michael Baldea (Editor-in Chief, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research)
