Advances in Polymer Coatings and Films: Materials, Methods and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past few decades, the development of polymeric coatings and films has advanced rapidly, driven by an increasing demand for sustainable, high-performance and multifunctional materials. These systems play a critical role across key sectors, including food packaging, biomedical engineering, corrosion protection, optoelectronics and water treatment. In the face of pressing global challenges such as plastic waste management, extending product shelf life and the transition toward a circular economy, research into biopolymers, hydrogels, smart coatings and nanocomposites has become a vital cornerstone of modern materials science.

Innovation in this field spans from the synthesis and chemical modification of natural and synthetic polymer matrices to the deployment of advanced processing and characterization techniques. Incorporating stimulus-responsive behavior, antimicrobial properties, self-healing capabilities and enhanced barrier functions offers an exceptional opportunity to bridge fundamental research with high-impact industrial applications.

This Special Issue aims to gather and disseminate the latest breakthroughs in the design, processing, characterization and application of polymeric coatings and films. We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews addressing emerging trends, methodological challenges and technological solutions in polymer science and engineering.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Bio-based and Biodegradable Materials: Films and coatings derived from biopolymers, polysaccharides and proteins for sustainable packaging solutions.
• Smart and Functional Systems: Polymer coatings with self-healing mechanisms, controlled release capabilities, stimulus responsiveness (pH, temperature) and active antimicrobial or antioxidant properties.
• Nanocomposites and Hybrid Matrices: Incorporation of nanomaterials (cellulose nanocrystals, graphene, clays, metallic nanoparticles) to enhance mechanical, thermal and barrier performance.
• Advanced Processing and Functionalization: Electrospinning, spray drying, layer-by-layer deposition, physical/chemical crosslinking and surface modification techniques.
• Biomedical and Industrial Applications: Hydrogels and films for tissue engineering, wound healing, anticorrosive coatings and high-performance protective barriers.
• Physicochemical and Rheological Characterization: Evaluation of mechanical and dynamic-mechanical behavior, gas/vapor permeability, thermal stability and micro/nanostructural morphology.

Dr. Diego Hernández-Martínez
Guest Editor

Dr. Guillermo Suárez-Campos
Guest Editor Assistant

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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.