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Coatings publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Surface Engineering of Solid-State Electrochemical Systems for Energy Conversion and Storage

edited by

Luca Vattuone

and Davide Cademartori

submission deadline 30 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 183 | Submission Open

Keywords: surface electrochemistry; energy conversion and storage; vibrational energy harvesting; nano- and micro-surface engineering; modeling of electrochemical processes

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Engineering for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage)

Characterization and Industrial Applications of PVD Coatings

edited by F.C. Silva, Luis Cesar Fontana and Mengying Wang

submission deadline 30 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 172 | Submission Open

Keywords: PVD coatings; mechanical properties; corrosion resistance; electrical properties; wear resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Recent Progress in Metal Additive Manufacturing and Post-Processing Techniques

edited by

Javier Bedmar

Sonia García Rodriguez

and

Najib Abu-Warda

submission deadline 30 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 112 | Submission Open

Keywords: metal additive manufacturing; surface; coatings; corrosion; tribology

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Shape Memory Alloy Films and High-Entropy Alloy Films

edited by

Ana Sofia Ramos

submission deadline 30 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 104 | Submission Open

Keywords: coatings/films; thin-film technologies; structure; properties and applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Deposition, Characterization and Application of Anti-corrosion and Lubricating Coatings

edited by

Yiran Wang

Liang Sun

and

Wenyan Zhai

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 16 articles | Viewed by 40456 | Submission Open

Keywords: protective corrosion coatings; metal matrix composites; lubricating coatings; interface

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Characterization and Manufacturing of Nano-Composites and Nano-Composite Coatings

edited by

Nikolaos Karkalos

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 17581 | Submission Open

Keywords: synthesis of nanocomposite materials; coating materials testing procedures; optimization of nanocomposite coating production processes; machinability of coated surfaces; modeling of nanocomposite coating materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Engineering for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage)

Advances in Wear-Resistant Coatings

edited by Hui Liang and Zhiqiang Cao

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 9282 | Submission Open

Keywords: wear-resistant coatings; polymers; ceramics; alloys; and composite coatings; nanostructured coating modeling and simulation; coating processes; tribological mechanism of coatings

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Strong, Ductile and Corrosion-Resistant High-Entropy Alloys

edited by

Kaisheng Ming

and

Bin Miao

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 5213 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy alloys; mechanical properties; corrosion resistance; passive films; microstructures

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Innovations in Functional Coatings for Wood Processing

edited by

Zhaolong Zhu

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 1746 | Submission Open

Keywords: environmentally friendly coating; functional coating; decorative coating; modified wood; engineered wood; wood product; wood processing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Functional Polymer Coatings and Films)

Functionalization and Modification of Polymers, Polymeric Recyclates and Films

edited by

Tomasz Rydzkowski

and Rajnikant Patel

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1713 | Submission Open

Keywords: polymer processing and modification; film modification and applications; thin films; chemical engineering; nanocomposites; adhesion; surface modification; surface energy sfe; developed interfacial area ratio sdr; packaging systems; biodegradadation; permeability for water vapour and gases; composites and biocompostes; recycling issues

(This special issue belongs to the Section Functional Polymer Coatings and Films)

Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of High-Entropy Coatings

edited by

Deen Sun

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1455 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy coatings; corrosion resistance; wear resistance; tribological properties; hardness; toughness; physical vapor deposition (PVD); nanostructure; multilayer structure

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

High-Entropy Alloy Films and Coatings

edited by

Carlos G. Garay Reyes

and

Roberto Martínez Sánchez

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1046 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy alloys; films; coatings; microstructure; mechanical properties.

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Surface Topography Measurement Analysis of Additively Manufactured Modern Materials and Coatings

edited by

Przemysław Podulka

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 955 | Submission Open

Keywords: surface metrology; roughness measurement; surface topography characterization; functional materials; measurement noise; measurement uncertainty; manufacturing metrology; machined surfaces; additive manufacturing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Multi-Principal Element Alloy Design and Surface Modification Technology

edited by Yinghao Zhou,

Pinghu Chen

and

Dandan Liang

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 688 | Submission Open

Keywords: multi-principal elements alloys; high-entropy alloys; surface modifications; mechanical properties; corrosion and wear resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Modification and Optimization of Cable Insulation Surface Materials

edited by

Guang Yu

, Gu Li and Lin Yang

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 522 | Submission Open

Keywords: coating materials for insulation; preparation process of nanocomposites; coatings for insulation; dielectric properties of nanocomposites; interface structure of nanocomposites; dielectric interface effect; characterization techniques for coating materials for insulation; electriferous flame plating varnish; dielectric losses in nano-cable insulation materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Engineering for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage)

Advanced Ceramic Materials and Coatings: Synthesis, Properties and Applications

edited by Xiaolong Lu, Yuyi Zhu, Tony Thomas and Yue Yang

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 269 | Submission Open

Keywords: advanced ceramic materials; ceramic coatings; functional ceramics; ceramic processing and synthesis; material characterization

(This special issue belongs to the Section Ceramic Coatings and Engineering Technology)

Exploring the Innovative Roles of Coatings and Materials in Microplastic Pollution and Microbial Interactions in the Anthropocene

edited by

Samira Benali

, Alice Delacuvellerie,

Jean-Marie Raquez

and Ruddy Wattiez

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 234 | Submission Open

Keywords: microplastics; plastisphere; coating– plastisphere interactions; additive retention; additive leaching; coated microplastics as additive carriers; microplastic coating dynamics; coatings

(This special issue belongs to the Section Functional Polymer Coatings and Films)

Coatings and AI: Preparation, Characterization and Application

edited by

Dongdong Ye

and Hongli Bian

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 195 | Submission Open

Keywords: artificial intelligence in coatings; intelligent preparation of coatings; machine learning for material characterization; AI-driven coating applications; coating performance prediction

Innovations, Applications and Advances of High-Entropy Alloy Coatings

edited by Ádám Vida,

Anita Heczel

and

Lorena Perez-Andrade

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 162 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy alloys; additive manufacturing; cladding; surface layers; deposition; sputtering

(This special issue belongs to the Section Plasma Coatings, Surfaces & Interfaces)

Innovative Flame-Retardant Coatings for High-Performance Materials

edited by

Mingfeng Chen

and Shuqiang Peng

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 115 | Submission Open

Keywords: intumescent fire-retardant coatings; intrinsically flame-retardant coatings; flame-retardant coatings with multifunctional features; bio-sourced flame-retardant coatings; high-performance flame-retardant coatings

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Protective Coatings for Complex Technical Surfaces

edited by Michél Hauer, Filofteia-Laura Toma,

Thomas Lindner

and

Pawel Sokolowski

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 83 | Submission Open

Keywords: thermal spray; cladding; materials; wear; corrosion; emissions; environmental footprint

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Advanced Thin Films of High-Entropy Alloys

edited by

Junsheng Yang

Hua Tan

and Wenkai Jiang

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 77 | Submission Open

Keywords: advanced thin film; high-entropy alloy; fabrication method of thin films; applications of thin film; micro- and nano-electronic devices; functionalization of thin films; characterization of thin films; functional coatings; gradient thin films; novel thin-film electrode

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Protective Coatings for Heritage Conservation: Development and Application

edited by

Tomislav Cigula

and

Olena Myronycheva

submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 76 | Submission Open

Keywords: cultural heritage; coatings; material preservation; composites; coating technology; deterioration; degradation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Synthesis and Applications of Bioactive Coatings

edited by Shenglian Yao

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 5970 | Submission Open

Keywords: novel synthesis techniques for bioactive coatings; characterization and properties of bioactive coatings; medical applications and biocompatibility assessment; bioactive coatings in tissue engineering; environmental and industrial applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Bioactive Coatings and Biointerfaces)

Self-Cleaning and Anti-Fouling Coatings

edited by Liming Liu and Wei Tong

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 713 | Submission Open

Keywords: coatings; self-cleaning; anti-fouling; micro-nanostructures; durability

(This special issue belongs to the Section Bioactive Coatings and Biointerfaces)

Novel Coatings for Enhanced Water Desalination and Treatments

edited by

Md Sohrab Hossain

and

Mohd. Hazwan Hussin

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 693 | Submission Open

Keywords: water desalination coatings; advanced surface modifications; eco-friendly coating; artificial intelligence for coating optimization; regression analysis for coating performance prediction

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Advances in Optical Coatings and Thin Films

edited by

Martina Gilić

and

Branka Hadzic

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 623 | Submission Open

Keywords: thin films; optical coating; optical thin-film technology; light– matter interaction; photonics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Advances in Coating Tribology: Smart, Sustainable and High-Performance Coatings for Next-Generation Applications

edited by

Pradeep Menezes

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 79 | Submission Open

Keywords: coatings for harsh environments; self-lubricating and adaptive coatings; sustainable and eco-friendly coating; tribology of coatings in additive manufacturing; coatings for medical and biomedical applications; coatings in electric vehicles; high-temperature tribology and protective coatings; artificial intelligence and computational modeling in coating tribology.

(This special issue belongs to the Section Tribology)

Multifunctional Thin Films from Hybrid Biopolymers and Nanomaterials: Characterization and Advanced Biomedical and Environmental Application

edited by

Edith Inés Yslas

and

Diego Acevedo

submission deadline 10 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 73 | Submission Open

Keywords: thin films; biopolymers; nanomaterials; biological applications; environmental remediation

(This special issue belongs to the Section Thin Films)

Advanced Surface Engineering of Biocompatible Coatings: Innovation and Application

edited by Chenchen Wang and Jincan Yan

submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 592 | Submission Open

Keywords: wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings; biomimetic coatings; surface modification of bone implants; fretting wear at bone interfaces; biological lubricating materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Coatings for Biomedicine and Bioengineering)

Recent Advancement in Biological Microelectromechanical Systems (BioMEMS) and Biomimetic Coatings

edited by

Song-Jeng Huang

Ming-Tzer Lin

and

Chao-Ching Chiang

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 10 articles | Viewed by 29467 | Submission Open

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Coatings for Biomedicine and Bioengineering)

Mechanical Properties and Tribological Behavior of Alloy/Coatings, 2nd Edition

edited by

Saideep Muskeri

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 8 articles | Viewed by 9768 | Submission Open

Keywords: bioinspired hierarchical structures; graded architecture; multilayers; tribology; friction and wear

(This special issue belongs to the Section Tribology)

Coating Technologies Involving Surface Adsorption and Diffusion

edited by Yang Yang and Chengsong Zhang

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 8212 | Submission Open

Keywords: thermal chemical treatment; film deposition; duplex treatment; adsorption; diffusion; microstructure; surface properties; first-principles calculations

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Alloy/Metal/Steel Surface: Fabrication, Structure, Friction and Service Life

edited by Yujie Fan and Zhiqiang Liu

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 1316 | Submission Open

Keywords: laser processing; surface etching; micro-texture; friction reduction; wear resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Innovative Surface Treatment Technologies for Enhanced Coating Performance

edited by

Yongfei Yang

and

Yu Liu

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 934 | Submission Open

Keywords: surface treatments; coating performance; wear resistance; corrosion resistance; microstructure modification

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Surface Treatment and Coating of Additively Manufactured Components

edited by

Ozgur Poyraz

and Fei Cheng

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 495 | Submission Open

Keywords: optimization of additive manufacturing process parameters for surface quality; binder jetting; directed energy deposition; material extrusion; and powder bed fusion; abrasive flow machining; chemical polishing/milling; laser polishing; shot/shock peening; and vibratory finishing; coatings for aerospace; aesthetic; and biomedical purposes; coating and material characterization for adhesion; abrasion; friction; lubrication; mechanical performance; and wear; the modelling and simulation of post-manufacturing processes

(This special issue belongs to the Section Laser Coatings)

Preparation and Applications of Innovative Optoelectronic Films and Materials

edited by Hanlu Zhang, Junlu Sun and Xuexia Chen

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 101 | Submission Open

Keywords: optoelectronic films; 2D materials; optoelectronic devices; optical coatings

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Engineering for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage)

Advanced Polishing and Finishing via Laser and Multi-Energy Field Processing

edited by

Wenhui Li

, Yan Wang and Jingnan Zhao

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 85 | Submission Open

Keywords: laser surface modification; multi-energy field composite processing; surface finishing and polishing; functional surface structures; wear and corrosion resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Advances in the Mechanical Properties of Polymer Films and Coatings

edited by

Haichao Liu

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 74 | Submission Open

Keywords: mechanical behavior; polymer films and coatings; advanced characterization; durability; sustainable design

(This special issue belongs to the Section Functional Polymer Coatings and Films)

Treatments and Modifications for Wood Surface Protection and Wood Bonding

edited by

Xuedong Xi

submission deadline 20 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 45 | Submission Open

Keywords: wood protection; wood modification; wood surface treatment; coating; wood adhesives

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces: Biomedical and Healthcare Applications

edited by

Tsvetelina Batsalova

and

Denitsa Kiradzhiyska

submission deadline 25 Jan 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 12788 | Submission Open

Keywords: nanostructured materials and interfaces; multifunctional surfaces; design; synthesis; and processing technologies; physical; chemical; and biological evaluations; surface characterization; biomedical and healthcare applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Coatings for Biomedicine and Bioengineering)

Cold Spray for Additive Manufacturing and Remanufacturing Applications

edited by

Wen Sun

and Ruitao Li

submission deadline 25 Jan 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1841 | Submission Open

Keywords: cold spray additive manufacturing; cold spray remanufacturing; cold spray repair and restoration; cold spray fundamentals; cold spray of novel and functional materials; artificial intelligence in cold spray

(This special issue belongs to the Section Functional Polymer Coatings and Films)

Surface Integrity, Surface Properties, and Fatigue Performance of Coated Metallic Materials

edited by Weibing Dai

submission deadline 25 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 569 | Submission Open

Keywords: surface integrity; coating; lightweight materials; surface properties; fatigue performance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification)

Advanced Coatings and Materials for Conservation and Durability of Modern Buildings

edited by

Carla Lisci

submission deadline 28 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1694 | Submission Open

Keywords: building durability; building pathology; conservation; advanced coatings; durability testing; case studies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Corrosion and Protection of Metal Material Surface

edited by Ruiming Su

submission deadline 28 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 32 | Submission Open

Keywords: corrosion mechanisms; protective coatings; surface modification; corrosion resistance

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Fatigue and Wear Mechanisms of Different Surface Coatings for Industrial Application

edited by

Kamil Mucha

and

Andrzej N. Wieczorek

submission deadline 29 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 99 | Submission Open

Keywords: wear-resistant coatings; modified metallic surfaces; mechanical failure; friction; wear; damage mechanisms

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Advances and Applications of Sustainable Food Packaging Coating

edited by

Daniela Denisse Castro Enriquez

and

Ramón Francisco Dórame Miranda

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 353 | Submission Open

Keywords: coatings; sustainable; films; food packaging; advances and applications; active and intelligent food packaging

(This special issue belongs to the Section Coatings for Food Technology and System)

Advances in Concrete and Construction Coatings: Materials, Mechanical Properties, Applications

edited by Yongjun Zhou,

Peng Zhu

and

Yuan Jing

submission deadline 30 Jan 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 244 | Submission Open

Keywords: concrete design; ultra-high-performance concrete; functional concrete; fiber-reinforced concrete; green concrete; recycled materials; life-cycle sustainability; impact resistance properties; durability; concrete surface treatment

(This special issue belongs to the Section Corrosion, Wear and Erosion)

Innovative Coatings for Enhancing the Corrosion Resistance and Durability of Reinforced Concrete Structures

edited by