The search for new catalytic materials has grown into a very important multidisciplinary research field; including novel strategies for catalytic materials synthesis, control and manipulation of solid-state chemistry and surfaces, innovative characterization techniques and rapidly expanding catalysis applications, and has thus attracted the attention of large numbers of scientists and engineers all over the world. This special volume on Advanced Materials Research comprises new contributions covering aspects of catalyst preparation and characterization, as well as various applications of catalysis. Among these contributions are: the syntheses of novel catalytic materials involving surface functionalized mesoporous materials, hybrid inorganic-organic solids, oxide nanotubes and nanorods, carbon nanotubes and activated carbon, carbides and nitrides, zeolites, ion exchange resins, rare-earth oxide doped solid superacids and superbases and double-layer hydrotalcites, etc. Also discussed are the application of catalysis to various reactions, such as: hydrogen production and storage, NO reduction and photocatalytic degradation of VOCs, electrocatalytic synthesis of fine chemicals, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, petroleum hydrodesulfurization, isomerization and alkylation of alkanes, transesterification of soybean oil to biodiesel, etc. Although the present volume does not cover all topics in the area of catalytic materials, it reflects recent advances and future expected trends in this field, and will benefit scientists and investigators from the academic world, as well as industrial engineers.