Surface Engineering to Create Composite Nanomaterials with Improved Functional Properties

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to inform you about the opportunity to submit a research paper or review article on the latest advances in surface engineering for the creation of new functional nanomaterials to our Special Issue.

One of the important tasks of modern materials science is the development of new composite materials with improved functional properties. Currently, research is being actively carried out related to the development of combined approaches in the synthesis of new-generation composites by structuring them both in bulk and on the surface to improve functional properties (magnetic, mechanical, biomedical, catalytic, etc.). Requirements for the structure and physicochemical properties of composites, including nanomaterials, vary depending on the specific application. Therefore, the role of the surface in controlling the properties of composites cannot be overestimated. By studying the influence of the surface of the reinforcing phase on the structure and properties of the composite, it is possible to achieve a deeper understanding of the processes of formation of metal and ceramic composites and further directionally predict their properties.

It should be noted that the creation of composite materials with a given set of properties remains a difficult task, which necessitates the development of methods for controlling their structure and physicochemical properties both at the stage of synthesis and subsequent post-processing for wide practical applications in various devices. In view of this, surface engineering is one of the key areas for the formation of composite materials with optimized physical and chemical characteristics for each specific application.

This Special Issue will present the latest work on the synthesis and modification of materials, including nanomaterials, to form new composites, from nanostructure to modeling and practical applications. We invite the submission of publications that include, but are not limited to, any of the following subject areas:

• Creation of a new generation of ceramic and metal composite materials for mechanical engineering
• Magnetic smart materials for biomedical applications
• Powders of complex composition and multifunctional application for the production of composite materials.
• Surface engineering methods to improve the functional properties of composites
• Synthesis of composite functionally graded nano-coatings, including those for implantology.
• Synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for electrochemical applications
• Modeling the structure and properties of modified nanomaterials
• Oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

Dr. Elena G. Zemtsova
Dr. Petr Korusenko
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• powders of core-shell composition
• composite surface engineering
• composites based on metal, ceramic matrix
• hybrid composites
• reinforcing inclusions (nanotubes, nanofibers, carbides, etc.)
• mechanical and biomedical properties
• smart materials for targeted delivery
• electrochemical properties
• functionally graded coatings morphology, atomic and electronic structure
• chemical functionalization
• functionalization under the influence of energy flow (ion-plasma and ion-beam, electron beam, laser, etc.)