Functionally Graded Nanocomposite Surfaces

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, "Functionally-Graded Nanocomposite Surfaces".

This Special Issue will focus on emerging challenges and developments of multifunctional nanocomposite coatings. We will devote special attention to studies in which physico/chemical properties have been functionally graded and optimized.  Functionally-graded materials have been known of since the space race, back in the 1960s, and have been defined as materials in which the chemical and structural composition changes over their entire volume. Nowadays, thanks to our current understanding, technology and control over the micro and nanostructure of materials, we can apply all this knowledge at the nanoscale; the so-called functionally-graded nanocomposites materials (FGNM).

Although several studies have investigated the bulk properties of FGNMs (tribological, electrical, thermal, etc.), not much attention has been devoted to their surface properties, leaving a broad range of potential applications unexplored. Therefore, in this Special Issue, we aim to gather a collection of studies devoted to the understanding and tailoring of FGNMs surfaces, in which both the nanocomposite structure and surface phenomena are at the center of study and discussion.

In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Synthesis, deposition and characterization of nanocomposite FGNMs:
  • Films/coatings
  • Nanofiber/patterned surfaces
  • Oxides/carbides/nitrides/metals/polymers/hybrid materials
• Functionally-graded high entropy alloys (HEAs)
• Functional studies of FGNMs surfaces:
  • Tribological/mechanical studies
  • Biocompatibility/scaffolding
  • Corrosion/electrochemical/catalytic
  • Thermal and diffusion barriers
  • Electronic/conductive/magnetic/dielectric
  • Modelling/theoretical

Dr. Emerson Coy
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.