Prof. Javier García Martínez
Director, Molecular Nanotechnology Lab (NANOMOL)
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Alicante
About
Renowned chemist and global expert in sustainable energy and materials chemistry, celebrated for pioneering large-scale industrial decarbonisation technologies that have significantly reduced CO2 emissions in the chemical industry. His innovations, particularly in nanotechnology, have significantly improved the energy efficiency of major industrial processes and advanced key technologies in decarbonisation, hydrogen production and solar energy.
A passionate advocate for sustainability, Javier holds influential roles in organisations such as IUPAC, the World Economic Forum and the International Science Council. As a successful entrepreneur, he has commercialised decarbonisation technologies that are now in use worldwide. His scientific contributions and policy advice continue to shape industry efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and sustainable development goals.
Professional Experience
- Director, Molecular Nanotechnology Lab, University of Alicante (2009–present)
- President, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) (2022–2023)
- Co-founder & Chief Scientist, Rive Technology, Inc. (2006–2019) – Acquired by W.R. Grace
- Member, World Economic Forum's Emerging Technologies Council and Global Agenda Council
- President, Young Academy of Spain (2019–2023)
Education
- Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2001–2003)
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Alicante (2000, summa cum laude)
- B.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Alicante (1996)
Visiting Scholar Positions
- Oxford University, Harvard University, Princeton, Tsinghua University, UFRJ, and others
Books
- Innovación con futuro J. García-Martinez (ed.), Gestion 2000, Planeta (2024)
- Chemistry Entrepreneurship. A guide to the commercialization of scientific J. García-Martínez, (ed.), breakthroughs, WILEY-VCH (2021)
- España a ciencia cierta J. García-Martínez (ed.), Gestion 2000, Planeta (2021)
- Innovation with a Future (2024)
- Chemistry Entrepreneurship, Wiley-VCH (2021)
- Nanotechnology for the Energy Challenge, Wiley-VCH (2013, 2nd Ed.)
Major Awards & Honors
- Honorary Fellow, Chinese Chemical Society (2025)
- Honorary Professor, Beijing University of Chemical Technology (2024)
- National Research Award (Spain, 2023)
- Honorary Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (2024)
- Fellow, American Chemical Society
- King James I Award for New Technologies (2014)
- TR35 Innovator of the Year by MIT (2007)
Scientific Contributions
Prof. García Martínez has authored more than 100 scientific publications and holds over 30 patents, with 25 in industrial use. His research has appeared in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, and Angewandte Chemie.
Selected patents
- J. García-Martínez M. Mendoza Castro; N. Noemi, E. Jardin, Material zeolítico híbrido, métodos de obtención y usos asociados, P202230159 (2022)
- K. Li, J. García-Martínez, Zeolites with Tuned Aluminum Content and Mesoporosity, US Patent 20200239323 (2020)
- J. García-Martínez, E. Senderov, Mesoporous framework-modified zeolites, US Patent 9,580,328 (2017)
- J. García-Martínez, Mesoporous zeolite catalyst supports, US Patent 9,573,121 1 (2017)
- J. García-Martínez, M. Johnson, I. Valla, Introduction of mesoporosity in low Si/Al zeolites, US Patent 9,580,329 (2017)
- J. García-Martínez, L. Dight, B. Speronello, Methods for enhancing the mesoporosity of zeolite-containing materials, US Patent 9,517,453 (2016)
Policy & Global Impact
He has advised the United Nations, OECD, and the European Commission on scientific and environmental policy, and played a leading role in the creation of international initiatives like the International Year of Chemistry and the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development.
Contact
Email: j.garcia@ua.es
ORCID: 0000-0002-7089-4973
Website: nanomol.es
Other research
Mesoporous zeolites for refining applications
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Sol-gel coordination chemistry: incorporation of chemical functionalities in mesoporous materials
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Synthesis and characterization of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles
Read more →Advanced mesoporous titania for efficient photocatalysis
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Our team
Dr. Javier García Martinez
Group Leader, Nanomol
Director of the Molecular Nanotechnology Lab at the University of Alicante, Spain. Javier has published extensively in the areas of nanomaterials and energy and is the author of more than forty patents.
Dr. Elena Serrano Torregrosa
Researcher Fellow, Nanomol
Elena is a Research Fellow at the Molecular Nanotechnology Lab of the Inorganic Chemistry Dpt. at the University of Alicante (Spain). Her current research interests are in the area of new synthetic pathways to prepare stable and efficient photoactive materials for clean energy production.
Aida Grau Atienza
PhD student, Nanomol
Aida Grau has a Bachelor degree in Chemistry (2010) and a Master degree in Materials Science (2011) from the University of Alicante (Spain), where she is doing her PhD thesis on the incorporation of chemical functionalities to mesoporous silica materials and zeolites for energy-related applications.
Dr. Noemi Linares Pérez
Researcher Fellow, Nanomol
Noemi is a Research Fellow at the Molecular Nanotechnology Lab of the Inorganic Chemistry Dpt. at the University of Alicante (Spain). Her current research interests are in the area of heterogeneous catalysts for energy-related applications.
Alexander Sachse
Researcher Fellow, Nanomol
Alexander is a a Research Fellow at the Molecular Nanotechnology Lab of the Inorganic Chemistry Dpt. at the University of Alicante (Spain). His current research interests are in the area of hierarchical porous catalytically active materials (in particular zeolites).
Irene Barceló
Postdoctoral researcher, Nanomol, Nanomol
Irene is a postdoctoral researcher at the Molecular Nanotechnology Lab of the Inorganic Chemistry Dept. at the University of Alicante. Her current interests are in the area of the (photo)electrochemistry of semiconductors and photovoltaics/third generation solar cells.