Composite Coatings

The Composite Coatings Section of Coatings welcomes high-quality, original research dedicated to the design, fabrication, characterization, testing, and application of composite-based coating systems. Composite coatings—combining two or more distinct phases such as polymers, ceramics, metals, or functional particles—offer unique advantages in tailoring surface performance for demanding engineering environments. This section focuses on advancing both the fundamental understanding and practical deployment of composite coatings with improved mechanical, chemical, wetting, thermal, electrical, and multifunctional properties. This section aims to highlight cutting-edge developments that address challenges such as wear, corrosion, thermal degradation, environmental exposure, and functional integration. Studies exploring innovative reinforcement strategies, novel formulations, advanced deposition technologies, and emerging application fields are especially encouraged.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: design, synthesis, and performance evaluation of polymer-, ceramic-, metal-, and hybrid-based composite coatings; reinforced coatings with nanoparticles, fibers, layered structures, or gradient architectures; composite coatings with enhanced wear resistance, corrosion resistance, thermal stability, or chemical durability; multifunctional composite coatings for optical, electrical, magnetic, or sensing applications; bioinspired and environmentally friendly composite coating systems; innovations in deposition technologies (e.g., thermal spray, PVD, CVD, electrochemical, sol–gel, and additive manufacturing) for composite coatings; interfacial engineering, micro/nanostructural optimization, and failure mechanism analysis of composite coatings; modeling, simulation, and predictive design of composite coating performance.