Announcements

Five new journals covering multiple subjects have launched their inaugural issue in June 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the Editorial Board Members and each journal will ensure its high-quality output using excellent editorial and rigorous peer review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	anaesthetic medications; blood and fluid management; pain management; critical care; critical illness | view journal scope | submit an article
	Dr. Giovanni E. Cacciamani, University of Southern California, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr.  Gassan Hodaifa, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue	laboratory management; laboratory safety; protective equipment; laboratory problems and challenges; laboratory Innovation | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Jan S. Suchodolski, Texas A&M University, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue	companion animals health and disease; veterinary care and nutrition; genetics and genomics; behavior and welfare; human-animal relations | view journal scope | submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Pierfrancesco De Paola, University of Naples Federico II, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue	real estate appraisal; economic and financial valuation of real estate projects; sustainable real estate; housing and urban economics | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee (newjournal-committee@mdpi.com) if you would like to create more new journals.

To further enhance the quality of Batteries (ISSN: 2313-0105) and the papers published in it, under the guidance of our Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Karim Zaghib, the journal has updated and revised its aims and scope. The original scope and the updated version are listed below:

For more detailed information, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/batteries/about.

Batteries Editorial Office

We are pleased to share that Batteries (ISSN: 2313-0105) was awarded an increased Impact Factor of 4.6 in the 2023 Journal Citation Reports™ released by Clarivate in June 2024. Additionally, according to data released by Scopus (Elsevier), Batteries received a CiteScore™ of 4.0.

Batteries’ Impact Factor ranks are as follows:

• Q2 (16 among 45 titles) in the “Electrochemistry” category;
• Q2 (78 among 170 titles) in the “Energy and Fuels” category;
• Q2 (141 among 438 titles) in the “Materials Science, Multidisciplinary” category.

Batteries’ CiteScore ranks are as follows:

• Q2 (110 out of 272 journals) in the “Energy Engineering and Power Technology” category;
• Q2 (333 out of 797 journals) in the “Electrical and Electronic Engineering” category;
• Q3 (35 out of 60 journals) in the “Electrochemistry” category.

For further statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/batteries/stats. For more information about MDPI flagship journals' citation metrics, please see here.

At MDPI, our mission is simple yet powerful, and we strive every day to make scientific research freely accessible to everyone everywhere. With over 3.5 million authors choosing MDPI, we have established ourselves as a key player driving the open access initiative.

Our journals have received over 13 million citations in the Web of Science, making us the most cited open access publisher. With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services.

Batteries Editorial Office

MDPI will attend the IX Symposium on Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Advanced Batteries (HYCELTEC 2024), held from 30 June to 3 July 2024 in Milazzo, Italy.

HYCELTEC 2024 will be an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion of topics related to fuel cells, hydrogen and batteries, bringing together researchers from academia, technological centers and industry.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

Energies;

Hydrogen;

WEVJ;

Batteries;

Polymers.

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates. We are excited to meet you in person and address any questions you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.hyceltec2024.it/.

All papers published in 2022 in Batteries (ISSN: 2313-0105) were considered for this award. After a thorough evaluation of the originality and significance of the papers, citations, and downloads, the winner was selected:

“Revisiting Polytetrafluorethylene Binder for Solvent-Free Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Fabrication”
by Yang Zhang, Frederik Huld, Song Lu, Camilla Jektvik, Fengliu Lou and Zhixin Yu
Batteries 2022, 8(6), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries8060057

The winners will receive CHF 500 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge after peer review in Batteries in 2024.

Author names: Yang Zhang, Frederik Huld, Song Lu, Camilla Jektvik, Fengliu Lou and Zhixin Yu
Affiliation: Beyonder As and University of Stavanger
Research Interests: solvent-free electrode manufacturing, prelithiation, high-energy-density LiBs, extra-fast-charge technology, LiBs failure analysis, etc.

The following is a short interview with the first author Dr. Yang Zhang:

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers?
My name is Yang Zhang and I obtained my Ph.D. from the University of Stavanger (UiS), Norway in 2023. This work is part of my industrial Ph.D. project, which is a collaboration between UiS and Beyonder AS, Norway, aimed at developing a technology for the large-scale production of electrodes using a solvent-free method. We hope that the technology developed in this project can be applied to Beyonder's battery products, reducing energy consumption in the battery production process while enhancing battery performance. Our team members are from both UiS and Beyonder AS.

2. Could you please briefly introduce the main content of the winning paper?
Our award-winning paper, titled “Revisiting Polytetrafluorethylene Binder for Solvent-Free Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Fabrication”, explores an innovative solvent-free process for creating anode electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. The process was conducted in a roll-to-roll way, which can be scaled up for production. We utilized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as a binder and elucidated the root cause of the fast-capacity-fading PTFE-based anode, primarily due to the irreversible reaction between PTFE and lithium ions at a low potential. This insight is crucial to enhancing the performance and lifespan of LiBs with anodes using PTFE as a binder. Based on our understanding of the degradation mechanism, hard carbon was adopted as the anode’s active material, achieving a decent stability performance. Our work shed light on the development of PTFE-based solvent-free anodes with a longer cycling life.

3. What is your current research and why did you choose this research field?
My current research is focused on solvent-free electrodes’ manufacturing. I chose this field because it offers a sustainable approach to battery manufacturing with the potential to significantly improve energy density and energy consumption savings during the electrode manufacturing process, critical to the advancement of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. Also, all-solid-state batteries are considered the “holy grail” of battery technology, which can increase energy density and address safety issues at the same time. Solvents from technology will also play a pivotal role in all-solid-state batteries’ manufacturing.

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
In the coming years, I anticipate that research topics such as all-solid-state batteries (ASSB), lithium-rich manganese-layered oxide (LRM) cathode materials, and lithium metal batteries will gain significant interest. These areas are pivotal in achieving highly safer battery technologies and improved energy densities, which are essential for the next generation of electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

5. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Batteries?
We chose to submit our paper to the Batteries journal because it is a reputable, open access platform that covers a wide spectrum of topics within battery science. Publishing in Batteries offers authors the benefit of reaching a broader audience and increasing the visibility of their work, which is essential for the dissemination of scientific findings and fostering collaboration within the research community.

6. How was your experience submitting to Batteries?
Our experience with submitting to Batteries has been very positive. The editorial team and peer reviewers provided constructive feedback that helped us refine our manuscript. The review process was efficient and professional and greatly contributed to the final quality of our paper.

7. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life? Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?
The key to a fulfilling laboratory life is fostering a collaborative environment and maintaining a positive atmosphere. When faced with research challenges, we rely on team discussions, interdisciplinary cooperation, and the collective expertise of our members to find innovative solutions.

8. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?
Open access has a profound impact on authors by democratizing access to research. It allows our work to be freely available to a global audience, facilitating the exchange of ideas and accelerating scientific progress. This model supports the broader scientific community by making research more accessible and transparent. However, while the open access model allows our research to reach a wider audience, the initial publication fees can be a burden for researchers, especially for young investigators. If these costs could be reduced, I believe researchers would be more inclined to publish their work in open access journals to reach a larger readership.

9. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?
Winning this award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of myself and my colleagues at UiS and Beyonder AS. I am particularly grateful to my collaborators for their invaluable contributions and to the families, who have supported us throughout this journey. Their support has been instrumental in achieving this recognition. Additionally, the main body of this research work was conducted at Beyonder AS, and I would like to express my special gratitude to them for the convenience and support they provided for my research.

All papers published in 2022 in Batteries (ISSN: 2313-0105) were considered for the Batteries 2022 Best Paper Award. After a thorough evaluation of the originality and significance of the papers, citations, and downloads, the winner was selected:

“Recent Development in Carbon-LiFePO₄ Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Mini Review”
by Brindha Ramasubramanian, Subramanian Sundarrajan, Vijila Chellappan, M. V. Reddy, Seeram Ramakrishna and Karim Zaghib
Batteries 2022, 8(10), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries8100133
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2313-0105/8/10/133

The winners will receive CHF 100 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge after peer review in Batteries in 2024.

Information of authors:

Name: Brindha Ramasubramanian
Affiliation: Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574, Singapore
Research Interests: nanomaterials, electrochemistry, batteries, machine learning and sustainability

Self-introduction:
I am currently a Ph.D. student at the National University of Singapore (NUS) | SINGA Awardee & Scholar at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), Agency of Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore (A*STAR). My primary research interests include synthesis of 2D hybrid nanomaterials, next-generation batteries, electrochemistry and circular economy in product development.

Name: Subramanian Sundarrajan
Affiliation: Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574, Singapore
Research Interests: polymer chemistry, heat exchangers, nanofibers and energy storage

Self-introduction:
I graduated with an M.Sc. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Madras, India, in 1996, and I was awarded one of the most prestigious fellowships in India, ‘‘Senior Research Fellow’’, by CSIR before completing my Ph.D. at the University of Madras in 2003. I joined the National University of Singapore in 2003 and have worked on the synthesis of polymers and the electrospinning of nanofibers, investigating their applications in battery, air, water, and tissue engineering, as well as clean and sustainable energy.

Name: Vijila Chellappan
Affiliation: Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574, Singapore
Research Interests: optoelectronics, intelligent materials, sustainable energy storage devices, high throughput experimentation and machine learning

Self-introduction:
I am currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials, National University of Singapore, with over 20 years of experience in examining various device technologies (photovoltaics, displays, lasers, energy storage), material systems (semiconducting polymers, oxides, transition metal dichalcogenides, conducting composites), and transient optical/electrical spectroscopy techniques. I have also helped establish high-throughput optical methodologies for machine-learning-enabled process/property optimization. I received my Ph.D. degree in physics from the Anna University, India, in 2001 and carried out postdoctoral research at Åbo Academy University, Turku, Finland, from 2001 to 2002.

Name: M. V. Reddy
Affiliation: Nouveau Monde Graphite, 481 Rue Brassard, Saint-Michel-de-Saints, QC J0K 3B0, Canada
Research Interests: nanomaterials, electrochemistry and batteries

Self-introduction:
I am currently working as a Senior Professional Researcher at Nouveau monde Graphite, Quebec, Canada.  For the last 20 years, I have been working on materials for energy storage, such as cathodes, anodes, and solid electrolytes for Li/Na/K- ion batteries and supercapacitors. I am also a member of ICDD USA, IPS, and MRS Singapore, and I have won many awards and given 230 talks all over the world.

Name: Seeram Ramakrishna
Affiliation: Center for Nanotechnology and Sustainability, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574, Singapore
Research Interests: biomaterials, circular economy, nanofibers, electrospinning, energy storage and wearables

Self-introduction:
I am currently a professor at the National University of Singapore and among the World’s Most Influential Minds (Thomson Reuters). My current research interests include circular economy, electrospinning, next generation electronic devices and wearables.

Name: Karim Zaghib
Affiliation: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia University, 1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada
Research Interests: nanomaterials, electrochemistry, batteries

Self-introduction:
I am currently a professor of chemical and materials engineering at Concordia University. As former director of research at Hydro-Québec, my research interests include rechargeable batteries, electrochromic devices, and electrochemistry of carbon materials.

 The following is an interview with Prof. Karim Zaghib:

1. Could you please briefly introduce the main content of the winning paper?
This review presents state-of-the-art research on the significance of carbon addition to LiFePO₄ cathodes in lithium-ion batteries during the time when it was published. We have discussed recent advancements and future prospects in this area and the impact of carbon incorporation on the structural and electrochemical properties of LiFePO₄.  Aspects of carbon, such as size, shape, diffusion, bonding, additives, dopants, and surface functionalization, and their effects on LiFePO₄ cathodes were explained, along with prospects for future advancements in LIB LiFePO₄ technology.

2. What’s your current research and why did you choose this research field?
M. V. Reddy is working in the area of anode materials and energy storage materials, and Brindha Ramasubramanian and Seeram Ramakrishna are working on 2D nanomaterials and carbon for Li-ion and Al-ion storage.

3. Could you describe the difficulties and breakthrough innovations in this research field?
One of the major challenges in LiFePO₄ and LIBs is electrode degradation over repeated charge–discharge cycles, capacity fade and reduced battery lifespan. Other challenges in LIBs include low lithium diffusion, dendrites and volume changes. Nanostructuring LiFePO₄ particles and carbon coatings improves lithium diffusion kinetics, while doping strategies and nanomaterials enhance conductivity and ion transfer. Surface modifications, like coatings and functionalization, can help to optimize surface chemistry and lithium-ion diffusion in LiFePO₄ carbon electrodes.

4. Have you ever encountered any difficulties while conducting research? How did you overcome them?
Initially, we encountered challenges in establishing the lab and optimizing parameters for materials synthesis and characterization. After a series of trial-and-error methods, we were finally able to resolve these issues.

5. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?
Several research topics are likely to capture the interest of the research community in the coming years in the field of Li-ion batteries, some of those are Solid-State LIBs, Si anodes for LIBs, artificial SEI and beyond Li-ion chemistry such as Na-ion and Al-ion chemistries.

6. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Batteries?
Batteries is a specialized journal in this field, with Prof. Karim and Dr. M. V. Reddy serving on its Editorial Board. It presents an excellent opportunity for us to submit our paper to this open access journal. We received positive feedback, and the publication process was swift. After our review was published, it was widely read by many authors and garnered a significant number of citations.

7. How was your experience submitting to Batteries?
We had a smooth, fast and constructive experience when submitting to Batteries.

8. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?
Making an impact in any research field requires dedication, hard work, and a commitment to lifelong learning and growth. Staying passionate, curious, and persistent with critical thinking will help aspirants to have profound contributions to science and society.

9. Can you briefly describe the key to a happy laboratory life? Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?
The key to a happy laboratory life revolves around fostering a supportive, collaborative, and positive work environment. As for difficulties in conducting research, challenges are common in scientific research. Whether it's encountering unexpected results, experimental failures, funding setbacks, or interpersonal conflicts, overcoming obstacles is an inherent part of the research process. Seeking guidance and advice from mentors, troubleshooting methodically, staying resilient in the face of setbacks, and maintaining a positive attitude will help to overcome the challenges.

10. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?
Yes, open access has a huge impact.

11. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express, or someone you would like to thank most?
Thanks to the MDPI Batteries team for their efforts in selecting our review for this award.

MDPI is pleased to announce the inclusion of 237 journals in the 2024 release of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and share the key results (see above).

This year, journals covered in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) received category ranks together with journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Overall, 139 MDPI journals indexed in ESCI are included in the new unified rankings for the first time.

Enhanced Comparability of Data

According to Clarivate, "the creation of unified category rankings [provides] a simpler and more complete category view for the evaluation of journal performance. [...] The category-first approach simplifies journal performance assessment with a holistic view of all journals in each subject category."

We are thrilled to announce that 72% of our ranked MDPI journals (171 of 237) are above average, in Q1 or Q2. Twenty-nine of our journals received their first Impact Factor this year, accounting for more than 5% of the journals accepted into the Web of Science last year.

MDPI Journals Ranked in JCR

The following data includes all MDPI journals indexed in SCIE, SSCI, ESCI and AHCI.

Source: 2023 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports ^TM (Clarivate, 2024)

About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 440 fully open access titles.

Conference: ACS Fall 2024
Organization: American Chemical Society
Date: 18–22 August 2024
Place: Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St, Denver, CO 80202
Booth ID: 1420

A variety of MDPI journals will be attending ACS Fall 2024 as exhibitors, an exciting event being held in Denver, USA, from 18 to 22 August 2024.

ACS Meetings & Expositions are where chemistry professionals meet to exchange ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. By attracting thousands of chemical professionals, the meetings provide excellent opportunities for peers to engage with each other and share their passion for chemistry, connecting with one of the world's largest scientific societies and helping to advance careers in this ever-changing global economy.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Molecules;
• Nanomaterials;
• Separations;
• Organics;
• Molbank;
• AppliedChem;
• Chemistry;
• Batteries;
• Fibers;
• Crystals;
• Polymers;
• Colorants;
• Analytica;
• Coatings;
• Symmetry;
• Liquids;
• Reactions.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #1420. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

MDPI will be attending the 22nd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB) 2024 in Hong Kong, China, which will take place from 16 to 21 June 2024. IMLB 2024 is a premier international conference on lithium battery science and technology, as well as current and future applications in transportation, commercial, aerospace, biomedical, and other promising sectors. Convening in Hong Kong, the conference is expected to draw 2,000 experts, researchers, and company representatives involved in the lithium battery field. This international meeting will discuss recent progress in advanced lithium batteries for energy storage and conversion. The meeting will focus on both basic and applied research findings that have led to improved Li battery materials, and to the understanding of the fundamental processes that determine and control electrochemical performance.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Batteries (leading);
• Energies;
• Vehicles;
• Technologies;
• WEVJ;
• Fire;
• ASI;
• Electrochem;
• Chemengineering;
• Applied Sciences.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #D06. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

On UNESCO’s 2024 Oceans Day, MDPI encourages the scientific community to increase the accessibility of ocean research to accelerate ocean conservation.

Basel, Switzerland, June 7, 2024: MDPI, a leading open access (OA) publisher, is proud to announce its active support for World Oceans Day 2024, celebrated under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade framework. MDPI’s CEO, Stefan Tochev hopes that “the latest ocean research can be made freely accessible to help empower scientists and communities at large to save our oceans,” under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade until 2030.

Open Access: A Catalyst for Ocean Action

MDPI’s presence at the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference 2024 highlights our unwavering commitment to using OA to advance ocean science, support research communities, and promote sustainable ocean management.

"Our involvement in the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference underscores MDPI's commitment to the underfunded Ocean SDG. By promoting OA to scientific articles and books on SDGs, we aim to inspire critical actions," said Tochev. "Our initiatives, like the World Sustainability Award and Emerging Sustainability Award, further demonstrate our dedication to advancing sustainability.”

Showcasing MDPI’s Contributions to Ocean Research

Over the past three years, MDPI has published 30,000 papers focused on ocean research and related topics. Key MDPI journals contributing to this body of work include:

• Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (4.9k papers)
• Remote Sensing (2.6k papers)
• Sustainability (2k papers)
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) (1.7k papers)
• Marine Drugs (1.5k papers)
• Water (1.5k papers)

These publications highlight MDPI’s contributions to ocean science, reinforcing our role in the broader sustainability agenda by promoting blue innovation and economy.

Additionally, MDPI has launched Oceans, an international, peer-reviewed forum specifically aimed at publishing studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services.

Affirming MDPI’s Commitment to Ocean Science

MDPI’s commitment to OA is pivotal in addressing critical global challenges, from climate change to ocean sustainability. Our efforts resonate with Outcome 4 of the UNESCO Ocean Decade action roadmap: an accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information, technology, and innovation. By aligning with UNESCO’s goals, MDPI continues to contribute to shaping a sustainable future for our oceans, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking publisher dedicated to environmental stewardship and scientific excellence.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at rui.duarte@mdpi.com or +41764313242.

About MDPI