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Materials and Coatings for Extreme Environments

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2025 | Viewed by 1079

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
Interests: thin-film coatings; 2D materials; van der Waals crystals; semiconductors; dielectrics; electrical insulation; dielectric breakdown; physical vapor deposition
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue on "Materials and Coatings for Extreme Environments" in Applied Sciences addresses the critical need for advanced materials and coatings capable of withstanding the rigors of extreme conditions. In various industries such as aerospace, energy, infrastructure, and defense, materials are increasingly required to perform reliably under elevated temperatures and extreme thermal cycling, corrosive atmospheres, erosion, high-energy radiation, mechanical stress, and other challenging environments. Moreover, emerging threats like hydrogen permeation necessitate the development of novel barrier layers to ensure continued functionality. Addressing these challenges requires innovative approaches in material design, manufacturing, and coating technologies.

We aim to explore the latest advancements, research findings, and technological innovations in the field of materials and coatings tailored for extreme environments. From high-temperature oxidation and corrosion resistance to radiation hardness and wear protection, the scope of this issue encompasses a wide array of challenges and solutions.

We welcome research and review articles on various aspects of materials science and engineering, including surface preparation techniques, interaction between coating layers, advanced manufacturing methods, and novel material systems. This includes the development of multi-layered coating systems, novel material formulations, and advanced manufacturing techniques to enhance the durability and resilience of materials subjected to harsh environments. Additionally, contributions on computational modeling approaches relevant to this theme are highly encouraged. The aim is not only to mitigate degradation and damage but also to optimize performance and prolong service life, thereby addressing critical needs across various industries.

Topics of focus include but are not limited to the following:

  • Low coefficient of thermal expansion materials;
  • Erosion-resistant coatings;
  • High-temperature polymer-based resins;
  • Alternative coating technologies;
  • Advanced thermal insulators;
  • Thermal barrier coatings;
  • High entropy alloys;
  • Advanced processing technologies;
  • Hydrogen permeation;
  • Computational modeling;
  • Ceramic–metallic alloys;
  • Self-healing ceramic coatings;
  • Ultra-high-temperature ceramics.

This Special Issue serves as a platform to showcase the latest advancements, methodologies, and breakthroughs in the realm of materials and coatings for extreme environments. It aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, exchange of ideas, and dissemination of knowledge to address the pressing needs of various industries and pave the way for future innovations.

Dr. Zakhar Kudrynskyi
Guest Editor

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. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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.

Keywords

  • corrosion
  • coatings
  • nuclear
  • electrochemistry
  • thermal spraying
  • ceramics
  • extreme environment
  • oxidation
  • materials degradation
  • computation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 4561 KiB  
Article
Influence of Proton Irradiation on Thin Films of AZO and ITO Transparent Conductive Oxides—Simulation of Space Environment
by Katarzyna Ungeheuer, Janusz Rybak, Amelia E. Bocirnea, Denis A. Pikulski, Aurelian C. Galca and Konstanty W. Marszalek
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(2), 754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15020754 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 755
Abstract
Transparent conductive oxides are essential materials for many optoelectronic applications. For new devices for aerospace and space applications, it is crucial to know how they respond to the space environment. The most important issue in commonly used low-Earth orbits is proton radiation. This [...] Read more.
Transparent conductive oxides are essential materials for many optoelectronic applications. For new devices for aerospace and space applications, it is crucial to know how they respond to the space environment. The most important issue in commonly used low-Earth orbits is proton radiation. This study examines the effects of high-energy proton irradiation (226.5 MeV) on thin films of aluminium-doped zinc oxide (AZO) and indium tin oxide (ITO). We use X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy observations to see the changes in the structure and microstructure of the films. The optical properties and homogeneity of the materials are determined by spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Analysis of the chemical states of the elements with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) gives insight into what proton irradiation changes at the surface of the oxides. All measurements show that ITO is less influenced than AZO. The proton energy and fluence used in this study simulate about a hundred years in low Earth orbit. This research demonstrates that both transparent conductive oxide thin films can function under simulated space conditions, with ITO showing superior resilience. The ITO film was more homogenous in terms of the total thickness measured with SE, had fewer defects and adsorbates present on the surface, as XPS analysis proved, and did not show a difference after irradiation regarding its optical properties, transmission, refractive index, or extinction coefficient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials and Coatings for Extreme Environments)
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