State of the Art of Electrochromic Films, Materials and Devices
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Interests: sol–gel process; organic/inorganic hybrids; electrolytes; electrochromic devices; “smart windows”
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Electrochromic films, materials and devices are systems capable of reversibly changing their color or transparency when subjected to a small electrical potential. This property has attracted considerable interest in contemporary society as well as within the scientific and technological research community.
Electrochromic devices are employed in smart windows designed to regulate the amount of light and heat entering a building. This regulation reduces energy consumption for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, thereby promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly architectural solutions. In the automotive sector, these devices help control interior brightness and reduce dependence on air conditioning.
Research on electrochromic devices is driving the development of new materials with advanced optoelectronic properties, such as metal oxides (e.g., WO3—tungsten trioxide), conductive polymers, nanomaterials, and organic–inorganic hybrids. These innovations contribute to the creation of smart materials with applications across diverse technological fields.
Furthermore, researchers are exploring the integration of electrochromic devices with solar panels, environmental sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, enabling the development of intelligent and adaptive surfaces. There is also increasing interest in flexible and transparent devices for wearable electronics and next-generation displays. Current research aims to produce more durable, recyclable and non-toxic materials, aligned with the objectives of the energy transition and the green economy.
The topics addressed in the papers should be fully aligned with the scope of the journal, which covers coatings, surfaces and interfaces in the area of electrochromic devices. The areas of interest include thin and thick films; coating deposition and modification processes; characterization techniques; functional, protective and decorative coatings; dyes and pigments as well as studies related to wear, corrosion and high-temperature coatings.
Dr. Mariana Fernandes
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 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.
Keywords
- electrochromic materials
- transparent conductive oxide layers
- electrolytes
- applications
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