Advances in Surface Engineering and Biocompatible Coatings for Biomedical Applications, 3rd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Following the strong success of the first two editions of this Special Issue “Advances in Surface Engineering and Biocompatible Coatings for Biomedical Applications”, which together have received more than 73,000 views and over 170 citations in less than two years, we are pleased to launch the third edition of this continuing series. The previous volumes brought together 26 high-quality contributions that underscored the decisive influence of engineered surfaces on the biological, mechanical, and functional performance of biomaterials. Building on this foundation, the third edition aims to broaden the scientific scope by integrating emerging material systems, advanced manufacturing strategies, and multifunctional coating concepts that define the next generation of biomedical surface engineering.

Surface modification remains central to biomaterials research because it governs critical processes such as biocompatibility, osseointegration, corrosion resistance, tribological behavior, and antibacterial functionality. Although conventional metallic, polymeric, and ceramic implants often require surface enhancement, rapidly evolving biomedical demands now call for surface architectures that can interact dynamically with complex physiological environments while providing long-term functional stability.

In this context, additively manufactured (AM) metallic and composite substrates, characterized by hierarchical porosity, design-driven architectures, and microstructural heterogeneity, introduce new considerations for coating adhesion, interfacial mechanics, and biological integration. Similarly, functionally graded materials (FGMs) and graded coating architectures have gained prominence for mitigating stress shielding, tuning interface properties, and controlling degradation in biodegradable systems. Architecture and bioinspired surfaces, including lattice frameworks, triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures, and hierarchical micro–nano interfaces inspired by natural tissues, represent further avenues of advancement.

Further developments in biodegradable metals, hybrid ceramic–polymer films, multi-ion doped coatings, and barrier-enhancing strategies, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) sealing or combined micro-arc oxidation (MAO)/plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treatments, illustrate a broader shift toward integrative, mechanism-driven surface solutions. Complementary trends include immunomodulatory and antibacterial coatings, stimuli-responsive surfaces, and computational or biomechanics-informed interface design.

This Special Issue welcomes high-quality original research and review papers on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

• Surface engineering of additively manufactured (AM) metallic and composite implants;
• Functionally graded materials (FGMs) and graded coating architectures;
• Mechanical and physical surface modification (shot peening, SMAT, laser treatments, and ion implantation modifications);
• Plasma-assisted and electrochemical oxidation processes (PEO/MAO, ECO, and anodizing processes);
• Vapor-phase, solution-based, and hybrid coating technologies (ALD, PVD, CVD, sol–gel, and EPD technologies);
• Bioactive, biodegradable, and multifunctional coatings (HA, CaP, bioactive glass, polymeric, hybrid, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory coatings);
• Surface engineering of biodegradable Mg, Zn, and Fe systems;
• Bioinspired and hierarchical surface designs (micro–nano interfaces and lattice and TPMS architectures);
• Surface integrity, corrosion, wear, and tribocorrosion mechanisms;
• Biological and antibacterial interactions at material interfaces;
• Computational, mechanobiological, and predictive modeling approaches for interface and surface design.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and continuing to advance the field through this Special Issue.

Dr. Egemen Avcu
Dr. Yasemin Yıldıran Avcu
Dr. Mert Guney
Prof. Dr. Ridvan Yamanoglu
Dr. Cagatay Elibol
Dr. Berzah Yavuzyegit
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 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-blind 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.