ADVANCED MATERIALS

ADVANCED MATERIALS (AM) is an international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing high-quality original research covering all fields within the discipline of materials science and engineering. The journal engages with a broad spectrum of topics—from the fundamental theory of materials to engineering applications, from traditional structural materials to cutting-edge functional materials, from materials synthesis and characterisation to device integration—providing a serious and open scholarly platform for global materials scientists, engineers, physicists, chemists, and industrial R&D professionals.

The core conviction of AM is “Driving the next leap of human civilisation through materials innovation.” Materials constitute the physical foundation of human civilisation—from flint in the Stone Age to silicon-based semiconductors in the information age, every civilisational leap has been led by breakthroughs in materials. In an era when climate change, the energy transition, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies are profoundly reshaping the global technological landscape, advanced materials research stands at the intersection of multiple critical fields. We believe that advancing the frontiers of materials science requires breaking down disciplinary barriers, fostering bidirectional flow between fundamental research and engineering application, and enabling the free global dissemination of knowledge. The journal adopts a flexible publication policy that takes Open Access as the default model while allowing Non-Open Access publication under special circumstances, balancing the global free dissemination of scholarship with the specific needs of particular research contexts.

Publication Model and Open Access Statement

AM operates a Hybrid Open Access Model, with the following specific policies:

Default Model: Full Open Access

In the vast majority of cases, AM operates as a Diamond Open Access journal:

• Free for all readers: All articles published under the Open Access model are immediately, permanently, and unconditionally available to readers worldwide. No subscription, no registration, no paywalls. We believe that research findings on advanced materials should be freely accessible to scientists, engineers, students, industrial R&D personnel, and policy-makers worldwide, to accelerate the translation of knowledge from laboratory discovery to industrial application.

• Zero or minimal cost for authors: AM completely waives Article Processing Charges for papers recognised through peer review as being of exceptional scholarly quality, demonstrating outstanding originality and scientific impact. For other Open Access papers, the journal charges only a minimal fee far below industry standards, solely to sustain basic operations. Authors from under-resourced regions and the Global South may apply for full or partial fee waivers.

• Open licensing: All Open Access articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain copyright of their work and grant anyone the right to share, adapt, and reuse the material, provided appropriate credit is given, to maximise knowledge dissemination and innovation diffusion in the field of materials science.

Special Cases: Non-Open Access

In the following special circumstances, upon author request and with the approval of the editorial team, articles may be published under a Non-Open Access model:

• Funder mandates: Certain corporate-funded materials R&D projects, defence-related research programmes, or collaborative commercial research impose specific confidentiality or access restrictions that conflict with the CC BY licence of full Open Access.

• Commercially sensitive information and intellectual property protection: Content involving undisclosed material formulations, preparation process parameters, proprietary characterisation techniques, commercially valuable materials performance data, or key information in pending patent applications, where full open dissemination could harm the legitimate interests of the relevant enterprises or research partners.

• National security and export control: Content involving dual-use materials, technical details subject to export control regulations, or research with potential national security implications, where full open dissemination could violate relevant laws and regulations.

• Authors’ specific publication needs: Authors may request Non-Open Access publication based on reasonable grounds such as career development, institutional evaluation requirements, patent application timelines, or future commercialisation plans.

• Legal and compliance requirements: Laws and regulations in certain countries or regions impose specific restrictions on the dissemination of content involving sensitive materials technology, defence-related research, or controlled substances.

Under the Non-Open Access model: articles will be published under traditional subscription or paid-access arrangements; copyright arrangements and licensing conditions will be negotiated separately with authors; the journal will clearly mark the access status in the article’s metadata to ensure full transparency. The proportion of Non-Open Access articles will be strictly controlled to ensure that the journal’s overall Open Access character is not diluted. The editorial team retains final decision-making authority over the approval of Non-Open Access publication, and this decision will not affect the academic standards of peer review.

Aims, Scope, and Core Areas

AM is rooted in the rich scholarly traditions of materials science and engineering while actively responding to the new challenges that global technological transformation and the sustainable development agenda pose for materials research. The journal’s fundamental position is that advanced materials research requires continuous dialogue between fundamental science and engineering application, and that the pursuit of performance breakthroughs must go hand in hand with attention to sustainability, manufacturability, and full life-cycle environmental impact. We reject the reduction of materials research to the isolated pursuit of performance metrics, just as we reject empty theoretical construction divorced from practical application contexts. AM is committed to publishing research that is both scientifically deep and technologically relevant, both advancing disciplinary frontiers and responding to societal needs.

The journal covers all fields of materials science and especially welcomes high-quality submissions in the following areas:

Fundamentals of Materials Science

• Crystal structures and defect chemistry of materials

• Thermodynamics and kinetics of phase transformations

• Electronic structure, phonon behaviour, and optoelectronic properties of materials

• Mechanical behaviour of materials: from atomic scale to macroscopic scale

• Diffusion, interfaces, and grain boundary phenomena in materials

• Multiscale modelling and computational materials science

• Materials informatics: data-driven materials discovery and design

• Statistical mechanics and phase equilibria of materials

• Radiation effects and behaviour of materials in extreme environments

Structural and Functional Materials

• Advanced metals and alloys: high-entropy alloys, lightweight alloys, amorphous alloys

• Advanced ceramics and glasses: transparent ceramics, ultra-high-temperature ceramics, bioceramics

• Polymeric materials: functional polymers, conductive polymers, self-healing polymers

• Composite materials: fibre-reinforced, particle-reinforced, and laminated composites

• Porous materials: metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), zeolites

• Metamaterials and metasurfaces: electromagnetic metamaterials, acoustic metamaterials, mechanical metamaterials

• Smart materials: shape memory materials, piezoelectric materials, magnetostrictive materials

• Gradient materials, functionally graded structures, and multi-material systems

Nanomaterials and Low-Dimensional Materials

• Carbon nanomaterials: graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon quantum dots

• Two-dimensional materials: transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, MXenes

• Synthesis and assembly of nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanosheets

• Nanocomposites and nanostructured coatings

• Optoelectronic properties of quantum dots, nanocrystals, and clusters

• Nanotoxicology and environmental safety of nanomaterials

• Nanofabrication: self-assembly, nanoimprint lithography, and scanning probe techniques

• Quantum transport and topological phenomena in low-dimensional materials

Energy Materials

• Lithium-ion battery materials: cathodes, anodes, electrolytes, and separators

• Next-generation batteries: solid-state batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-ion batteries, metal-air batteries

• Supercapacitors and hybrid energy storage materials

• Photovoltaic materials: perovskites, organic solar cells, dye-sensitised, and silicon-based materials

• Thermoelectric materials and thermal management materials

• Fuel cell and water electrolysis catalytic materials

• Hydrogen storage materials and hydrogen energy technologies

• Nuclear energy materials: materials for fission and fusion reactors

Catalytic and Chemical Conversion Materials

• Heterogeneous catalysis materials: metal nanoparticles, oxide supports, and single-atom catalysis

• Photocatalytic materials: water splitting, CO₂ reduction, and pollutant degradation

• Electrocatalytic materials: hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction, and nitrogen reduction

• Biocatalytic and biomimetic catalytic materials

• Zeolites and shape-selective catalysis

• Catalyst deactivation, regeneration, and stability

• In situ/operando characterisation techniques in catalysis research

• Machine learning-assisted catalyst design and screening

Optical and Optoelectronic Materials

• Luminescent materials: phosphors, quantum dot emission, and organic luminescent materials

• Laser materials and nonlinear optical materials

• Photonic crystals and optical metamaterials

• Photodetector materials and infrared detection materials

• Optical waveguides, optical fibres, and integrated photonic materials

• Electrochromic, photochromic, and thermochromic materials

• Transparent conductive materials and flexible optoelectronic devices

• Quantum optical materials and single-photon sources

Electronic and Quantum Materials

• Semiconductor materials: wide-bandgap semiconductors, two-dimensional semiconductors, and organic semiconductors

• Quantum materials: topological insulators, Weyl semimetals, spin liquids

• Superconducting materials: high-temperature superconductors, unconventional superconductivity, and superconducting applications

• Spintronic materials and magnetic materials

• Ferroelectric materials, multiferroic materials, and magnetoelectric coupling

• Memristive materials and neuromorphic computing

• Materials for quantum computing and quantum information processing

• Flexible electronic materials and stretchable electronic devices

Biomaterials and Biomedical Materials

• Biocompatible materials and implants

• Tissue engineering scaffolds and regenerative medicine materials

• Drug delivery systems and responsive release materials

• Nanomedicine materials: theranostic platforms

• Antibacterial materials and anti-biofilm surfaces

• Biodegradable materials and absorbable materials

• Bioprinting inks and biofabrication

• Biosensors and wearable health monitoring materials

Structural Materials and Engineering Applications

• Aerospace structural materials: titanium alloys, nickel-based superalloys, composites

• Automotive lightweight materials: aluminium-magnesium alloys, advanced high-strength steels, carbon fibre

• Construction and infrastructure materials: high-performance concrete, self-healing materials, green building materials

• Protective materials: ballistic, blast, and impact-resistant materials

• Wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and surface engineering materials

• High-temperature structural materials and thermal barrier coatings

• Additive manufacturing (3D printing) materials: metal powders, ceramic slurries, and polymers

• Welding, joining, and interface engineering

Polymers and Soft Matter

• Polymer synthetic chemistry and precision polymerisation

• Block copolymer self-assembly and nanopatterning

• Gels, elastomers, and soft matter physics

• Polyelectrolytes, ion gels, and flexible ionic conductors

• Degradable polymers and sustainable polymers

• Polymer rheology and processing

• Biomacromolecular materials: protein, DNA, and polysaccharide materials

• Liquid crystalline polymers and anisotropic soft materials

Thin Films, Coatings, and Surface Engineering

• Physical vapour deposition (PVD) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD)

• Atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition (MLD)

• Thermal spraying, cold spraying, and laser cladding

• Self-assembled monolayers and functionalised surfaces

• Superhydrophobic, superhydrophilic, and smart responsive coatings

• Anti-corrosion coatings, wear-resistant coatings, and thermal barrier coatings

• Antibacterial coatings and antiviral surfaces

• Thin-film solar cells and large-area coating technologies

Materials Characterisation and Testing

• Electron microscopy: TEM, SEM, STEM, and atomic-resolution imaging

• Scanning probe microscopy: AFM, STM, and their functional modes

• Spectroscopic methods: Raman, infrared, XPS, XAS, and NMR

• X-ray diffraction, neutron scattering, and synchrotron radiation techniques

• In situ/operando characterisation: tracking materials evolution under realistic working conditions

• Mechanical testing: from nanoindentation to macroscopic failure analysis

• Thermal analysis, mass spectrometry, and hyphenated surface analysis techniques

• Computational characterisation: machine learning-assisted microstructure analysis

Materials Processing and Manufacturing

• Additive manufacturing: powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, and photopolymerisation

• Materials forming: casting, forging, rolling, and extrusion

• Powder metallurgy and sintering technologies

• Advanced welding and joining technologies

• Micro- and nanofabrication: photolithography, electron beam lithography, and ion beam processing

• Design for recyclability, green manufacturing, and circular use of materials

• AI-driven optimisation of processing parameters

• Digital twins in materials manufacturing

Sustainability and Life Cycle

• Sustainable materials design: renewable feedstocks and green synthesis routes

• Recycling, reuse, and upcycling of materials

• Substitution of critical raw materials and resource-efficient materials

• Environmental impact assessment and carbon footprint accounting of materials

• Ecological materials and bio-based materials

• Materials science in the circular economy

• Sustainable utilisation of rare earth elements and critical minerals

• Durability, ageing, and lifetime prediction of materials

Interdisciplinary Dialogue
AM consistently welcomes boundary-crossing scholarship from physics, chemistry, biology, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, data science, computational science, and related fields, provided it carries a clear connection to materials research.

Sections and Article Types

To foster a multi-dimensional space for scholarly dialogue, AM maintains the following regular sections:

The journal especially welcomes proposals for Special Issues. We encourage proposals that bring together deep, multi-perspectival discussion from multiple disciplines, methods, and scales around a pressing materials science problem or emerging technology trend, and we welcome guest-editing teams from different regions and intellectual traditions.

Why Choose AM?

Spanning all fields of materials science: From the fundamental theory of materials science to structural and functional materials, from nanomaterials and low-dimensional materials to energy and catalytic materials, from biomedical materials to quantum materials, from materials characterisation to manufacturing and processing, AM provides a unified scholarly platform for every branch of materials science. Whatever your area of focus, you will find conversation partners here.

Open Access as the primary principle: As an OA-first journal, your research becomes immediately available to readers worldwide with no economic barriers upon publication. Research on advanced materials can thereby reach beyond academic circles and be freely accessed and used by industrial R&D personnel, engineering and technical professionals, policy-makers, and the public, accelerating the translation from laboratory to application.

A flexible mechanism respecting special publication needs: We understand that some materials research involves proprietary formulations, process parameters, and dual-use sensitive information. AM's Non-Open Access option ensures that when necessary, your research can be published in a prudent manner without compromising scholarly quality.

Zero or minimal financial burden: Papers recognised through peer review as exceptional are entirely free of all charges. Other papers incur only minimal fees far below industry standards, and authors from under-resourced regions and the Global South may apply for waivers. We are committed to ensuring that economic conditions never become a barrier to scholarly publication.

Rigorous and efficient review: A mature double-anonymous review system with professional, constructive feedback helps strengthen your scholarly work. Our reviewers come from all fields of materials science worldwide and attend to the originality of scientific discoveries as well as the reliability and reproducibility of data.

Inclusive of multiple disciplines and diverse methods: AM welcomes experimental research, theoretical modelling, computational simulation, machine learning-assisted discovery, in situ characterisation, engineering applications, and many other research paradigms, provided the work is rigorous and insightful.

Connecting fundamental research and engineering application: We believe that truly impactful materials research should be able to answer fundamental scientific questions, solve engineering challenges, or both. AM seeks to be an intellectual home shared by fundamental researchers and engineering practitioners, advancing research from the laboratory to industry and society.

Open copyright and social impact: Under the OA model, the CC BY 4.0 licence ensures that your research can be freely used in teaching, technology development, and public science communication, truly maximising the social value of your academic work.

ADVANCED MATERIALS warmly invites materials scientists across the globe, physicists, chemists, engineers, computational scientists, and all researchers and practitioners concerned with the future of materials innovation to join us in building an academic commons that takes openness as its primary spirit, respects the plurality of contexts, pursues scientific excellence, encourages interdisciplinary dialogue, connects fundamental research and application, and keeps its borders open. Whether as author, reviewer, or reader, your participation is an essential part of this community.