Microstructure, Surface Topography and Tribological Properties of Coatings
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Corrosion, Wear and Erosion".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tribology; friction; wear; material science; coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Coatings play a vital role in enhancing the surface functionality, wear resistance, and service life of components across a wide range of industries. Their performance is closely linked to microstructure, homogeneity, and surface topography—factors that directly influence frictional behavior, wear mechanisms, and overall tribological performance. As industrial demands evolve in fields such as aerospace, biomedical, automotive, and energy, there is a growing need for reliable, advanced coatings with tailored properties.
Recent progress in deposition technologies, surface engineering, and nanoscale design has enabled unprecedented control over coating architecture, from single-layer to complex multilayer systems. These developments offer exciting opportunities to optimize coatings for durability in harsh mechanical and environmental conditions. Understanding structure–property–performance relationships, particularly the impacts of microstructural uniformity and surface texture, is crucial for advancing tribological performance and predictive reliability.
This Special Issue aims to highlight original research articles, critical reviews, and methodology papers presenting cutting-edge research on coating microstructure, surface topography, and tribological behavior.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Coating microstructure–property relationships;
- Surface topography and its tribological implications;
- Tribological testing and performance;
- Coating design for friction reduction and wear resistance;
- Advanced coating deposition methods and surface modification techniques;
- Advanced characterization and testing methods.
Dr. Audrius Žunda
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. 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.
Keywords
- Microstructure
- Topography
- Surface modification
- Tribology
- Tribological compatibility.
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
