Surface Engineering of Composites Coatings: Enhancing Mechanical and Functional Properties
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 11
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue focuses on the recent advancements in the development and application of composite coatings through surface engineering to improve mechanical strength and multifunctional performance. With the rapid growth of industrial sectors such as aerospace, energy, marine, and biomedical applications, there is a growing demand for durable and multifunctional surfaces. Composite coatings offer a promising solution by combining diverse materials and architectures to enhance properties like wear resistance, corrosion protection, thermal stability, and self-healing behaviour. We aim to highlight innovative research that explores the relationship between structure, processing, and performance of composite coatings. Topics of interest include advanced deposition techniques, interface engineering, novel architectures (e.g., multilayer, graded, nanostructured), and environmentally friendly modification methods. This Issue seeks to bridge academic innovation and engineering practice by featuring both fundamental research and application-driven studies.
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue on Surface Engineering of Composite Coatings: Enhancing Mechanical and Functional Properties. Composite coatings have emerged as vital materials in modern surface engineering due to their ability to significantly improve mechanical performance, durability, and functional versatility. The integration of advanced surface modification techniques with tailored composite systems offers promising solutions for critical applications that demand high-performance and long-life surfaces.
This Special Issue aims to gather state-of-the-art research and reviews on the design, processing, and characterization of composite coatings engineered for superior mechanical and functional properties. The scope aligns with the journal’s focus on advanced materials, nanotechnology, surface science, and engineering applications. By understanding and controlling microstructure–property relationships, we can enable the development of coatings with enhanced service life and multifunctionality under real-world conditions.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Applications of nanofillers in enhancing the performance and functionality of composite materials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), and carbon nanofibers (CNFs);
- Advanced coating techniques (e.g., thermal spraying, PVD, CVD, electrochemical deposition);
- High-performance coatings with improved wear, corrosion, or fatigue resistance;
- Functionally graded, multilayer, or self-healing systems;
- Interface engineering and coating–substrate interactions;
- In situ characterization and multi-scale modelling;
- Sustainable and green surface modification approaches;
- Applications in aerospace, energy, biomedical, and marine environments.
This issue seeks contributions that combine academic rigor with engineering relevance to advance the next generation of composite coating technologies.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Mengze Li
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
- composite coatings
- surface engineering
- functional coatings
- mechanical properties
- PVD/CVD deposition
- thermal spraying
- wear and corrosion resistance
- nanomaterials
- interface engineering
- graded structures
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