Advanced Nano-Structured Hard Coatings: Applications and Characterization
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 6
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable pavement materials and structures; green development and digital intelligence enablement of transportation infrastructure; functional coatings
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The continuous advancement in surface engineering is pivotal for enhancing the performance and durability of critical components across modern industries. In particular, advanced nano-structured hard coatings, including nanocomposite, multilayer, and gradient architectures, have demonstrated exceptional mechanical properties, such as ultra-high hardness, improved fracture toughness, and superior wear and corrosion resistance. These characteristics are achieved through precise nanoscale design, which controls grain size, interface density, and stress distribution, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional coating systems.
A key and growing application area for these advanced coatings is transportation infrastructure and systems. Components in aerospace, automotive, rail, and maritime sectors, such as turbine blades, engine parts, bearings, gears, and cutting/forming tools, operate under extreme conditions of load, temperature, and environmental exposure. Nano-structured coatings provide vital surface protection against wear, fatigue, oxidation, and erosion, directly contributing to enhanced safety, efficiency, and service life of transportation assets.
The successful deployment of these coatings relies fundamentally on advanced characterization methodologies that elucidate the relationships between nano-scale architecture and macroscopic performance. This Special Issue, therefore, focuses on the synthesis, application, and multi-scale characterization of nano-structured hard coatings, with an emphasis on both fundamental insights and practical solutions. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Design and deposition of novel nano-structured coatings (e.g., PVD/CVD-based nanocomposites and nanolaminates);
- Advanced characterization techniques (in situ TEM, HR-XRD, and nanomechanical and tribological testing under simulated service conditions);
- Correlations between coating architecture and functional properties (wear, corrosion and thermal stability);
- Performance validation in transportation-related applications (aerospace, automotive, rail, and maritime components);
- Modeling of coating growth, stress, and failure mechanisms.
We invite researchers to contribute original studies and reviews that advance the science and technology of nano-structured coatings toward more reliable and sustainable engineering systems.
Prof. Dr. Xiang Liu
Dr. Xiaolong Yang
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.
Keywords
- nano-structured coatings
- hard coatings
- wear resistance
- surface characterization
- transportation engineering
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