Submit to Crystals Review for Crystals Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issues

Crystals 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.

Section

Search by Title/Keyword

Order results

Display

Results per page

Advances in New Functional Biomaterials for Medical Applications, Second Edition

edited by

Mădălina Simona Bălțatu

and

Petrica Vizureanu

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4492 | Submission Open

Keywords: new biomaterials; characterization; metallic biomaterials; bio interactive; resorbable biomaterials; controlled reactions

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Advances in High-Performance Alloys

edited by Huihui Zhi, Cheng Wen and

Kai Guan

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 2435 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy alloys; steels and iron alloys; magnesium alloys; aluminum alloys; copper alloys; titanium alloys; mechanical properties; corrosion resistance properties; hydrogen embrittlement; characterization; machine learning

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Research on Electrolytes and Energy Storage Materials (2nd Edition)

edited by

Bhargav Akkinepally

and Mengjie Chen

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 711 | Submission Open

Keywords: electrolytes; energy storage materials; batteries; supercapacitors; lithium-ion batteries; solid-state electrolytes; charge– discharge mechanisms; green technology; sustainable materials; next-generation energy storage

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Advanced Catalytic Materials in Energy and Environment

edited by Wanliang Yang

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 338 | Submission Open

Keywords: crystalline catalysts; crystal facet; defect engineering; in situ XRD; CO2 reduction; water splitting; photocatalysis; electrocatalysis; perovskite; MOF

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Crystaline TiO₂ Nanotubes: From Production, Modification, to Innovative Applications

edited by

Dumitriu Cristina

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 251 | Submission Open

Keywords: crystallization of TiO2 nanotubes; TiO2 nanotubes biomedical applications; TiO2 nanotubes in dye-sensitized solar cells; TiO2 nanotubes drug delivery systems; TiO2 nanotubes antibacterial agents; TiO2 nanotubes self-cleaning substrates

Advances in Electrocatalyst Materials

edited by

Weiyi Wang

and

Muhammad Umer

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 156 | Submission Open

Keywords: electrocatalysis; nanostructured Materials; metal-organic frameworks (MOFs); machine learning potentials (MLPs); density functional theory (DFT); microkinetic modelling; reaction mechanisms; sustainable energy conversion

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Advances in the Growth and Application of Nitride Crystals

edited by

Yongzhong Wu

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 134 | Submission Open

Keywords: gallium nitride; aluminum nitride; boron nitride; crystal growth; substrate processing; hydride vapor phase epitaxy; flux method; high-pressure ammonothermal method; physical vapor transport; chemical mechanical polishing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Advances and Expansion of Epitaxial Nitride-Based Materials

edited by

Brelon J. May

, Robert A. Makin and

Karol Strzałkowski

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 104 | Submission Open

Keywords: epitaxy; nitride; heterostructure; doping; electrical transport; magnetism; optical properties; machine learning; artificial intelligence

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Recent Advances in the Development and Application of Clay-Based Hybrid and Composite Materials

edited by

Florentina Monica Raduly

and

Pier Carlo Ricci

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 95 | Submission Open

Keywords: clay functionalization and intercalation chemistry; structural and morphological characterization; organo-clay nanocomposites; chemical sensors and BioSensors; materials for 3D printing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Synthesis, Properties and Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

edited by Magdalena Kadlecikova

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 93 | Submission Open

Keywords: carbon nanotubes (CNTs); nanocomposites; metal catalyst; minerals; mine waste; Raman spectroscopy

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Electrochemical Preparation of Magnetic Materials

edited by Milica Spasojević Savković and

Milentije Luković

submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 47 | Submission Open

Keywords: electrodeposition; magnetization; electric properties; energy storage; electrochemistry

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Transition Metal Complexes with Heterocyclic Ligands: Structural Insights, Biological Potential, and Computational Perspectives

edited by

Nikolina Filipović

Tomislav Balić

and

Anamarija Stanković

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 700 | Submission Open

Keywords: antimicrobial activity; antiproliferative activity; drug development; DFT (density functional theory); in vitro studies; molecular docking; NMR spectroscopy; transition metal complexes; X-ray diffraction (XRD); heterocyclic scaffolds

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Advanced Research in Lithium-Ion Battery Materials

edited by

Jiancun Rao

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 128 | Submission Open

Keywords: lithium metal anodes; electrolyte design solid-state batteries; cathode stabilization; novel characterization methodologies

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Advances in Scintillators: Luminescence Properties and Applications

edited by

Stratos David

and

Luigi Montalto

submission deadline 11 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 135 | Submission Open

Keywords: scintillator crystals; inorganic scintillators; co-doped scintillators; mixed scintillators; hybrid scintillator materials (inorganic/organic); medical imaging; nuclear imaging detectors

Properties of Transition Metals and Their Compounds at Extreme Conditions (2nd Edition)

edited by

and

submission deadline 15 Jun 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 15937 | Submission Open

Keywords: extreme conditions research; phase transitions; structural; electronic and magnetic properties; textural evolution; phase diagrams modelling and characterisation; new materials; equation of state; melting curves; symmetry-breaking

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Crystal Plasticity (4th Edition)

edited by

Shiraz Mujahid

, Yub Raj Paudel and Hongjoo Rhee

submission deadline 15 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3187 | Submission Open

Keywords: plasticity; computational methods; machine learning; texture evolution; microstructural mechanisms; thermomechanical processing; advanced manufacturing and metamaterials; process– structure– property relationships; metals; alloys; and intermetallics

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Fatigue and Fracture of Crystalline Metal Structures

edited by Xiangnan Pan and

Abílio M. P. De Jesus

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 9 articles | Viewed by 15514 | Submission Open

Keywords: fatigue and fracture; fatigue regimes; engineering vibration; elastic and plastic waves; metals and alloys; additive manufacturing; microstructure modeling; microstructure characterization; civil engineering; aerospace structure

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Recent Research on Electronic Materials and Packaging Technology

edited by

Siliang He

, Jinguo Ge and Jing Liu

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2568 | Submission Open

Keywords: electronics packaging; advanced manufacturing techniques; crystalline materials; microstructure characterization; semiconductor crystals; thermal interface materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Functional Acoustic Metamaterials

edited by

Seiji Fukushima

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1631 | Submission Open

Keywords: anisotropy; acoustic(s); metamaterial; metasurface; cloak; stealth; supersonic(s); ultrasonic(s); off-diagonal element

Advances and Perspectives in Noble Metal Nanoparticles

edited by

Magdalena Laskowska

and

Agnieszka Karczmarska

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1534 | Submission Open

Keywords: nanomaterials; nanoparticles; noble metal; AuNPs; AgNPs; PtNPs; platinum group metals; sensing; catalysis; nanomedicine; bioactivity

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Solid-State Batteries: Materials Design and Optimization

edited by Sijie Liu and

Le Zhou

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 95 | Submission Open

Keywords: solid-state batteries; crystalline materials; electrode materials; solid electrolytes; interface engineering; cell design; energy storage; lithium-ion batteries; thermal stability; ionic conductivity

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Thin Film Materials for Sensors

edited by

Zhihui Liu

Yaru Wang

, Xue Qi and

Lin Gan

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 76 | Submission Open

Keywords: thin film; sensors; flexible temperature; temperature measurement; temperature-sensitive materials

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Preparation and Performance Research of Piezoelectric Ceramics

edited by

Yalin Qin

and Yongcheng Zhang

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 71 | Submission Open

Keywords: piezoelectric ceramics; ferroelectric materials; lead-free piezoelectrics; material synthesis; sintering; structure-property relationships; electromechanical properties; actuators and sensors

(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)

Physical and Chemical Nature of Cemented Carbides

edited by

Marco Ruiz-Esparza-Rodríguez

and

Kai Guan

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 33 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-entropy alloys (HEAs); cemented carbides; mechanical milling; sintering techniques (SPS/HIP); microstructural characterization

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Novel Functional Crystalline Materials for Energy Conversion and Sensing

edited by

Alessandro Bellucci

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 20 | Submission Open

Keywords: functional crystalline materials; energy conversion; sensing materials; photovoltaic and photocatalysis systems; thermoelectric and thermionic materials; piezoelectric crystals; crystal growth and design; low-dimensional crystalline systems; hybrid crystalline materials; computational materials science

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Electrode Materials in Lithium-Ion Batteries

edited by Zhongren Zhou

submission deadline 25 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3475 | Submission Open

Keywords: lithium-ion battery; positive-electrode material; negative-electrode material; new electrode material; electrochemical performance; lithium storage performance; lithium iron phosphate; lithium nickel– manganese– cobalt oxide; silicon-based material; lithium manganese oxide; molten salt electrochemistry; solid waste resources recovery

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Recent Research on Piezoelectric Ceramics

edited by

Junjun Wang

and Nengneng Luo

submission deadline 29 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 83 | Submission Open

Keywords: piezoelectric ceramics; manufacture technologies; piezoelectricity; defect; grain

(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)

Metal–Organic Complexes for Synthesis

edited by

Yan Liu

and

Bing Yu

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 115 | Submission Open

Keywords: metal– organic complexes; photocatalysis; organic synthesis; photothermal reactions; enzyme mimic catalysis; synthetic methodology; homogeneous catalysis; heterogeneous catalysis; electrocatalysis; cooperative catalysis; gas conversion; metal– organic frameworks (MOFs); nanoenzymes; plastic recycling; polymer engineering

(This special issue belongs to the Section Organic Crystalline Materials)

Thermal Coatings: Properties and Applications

edited by Dorin Luca and

Corneliu Munteanu

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 87 | Submission Open

Keywords: flame spraying; high-velocity oxygen fuel; high-velocity air fuel; detonation gun spraying; arc spraying; plasma jet deposition

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

MXenes: From Synthesis to Applications

edited by

Zhifang Liu

and

Hanqi Feng

submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 76 | Submission Open

Keywords: MXenes; two-dimensional materials; surface engineering; energy storage and conversion; electromagnetic interference shielding; terahertz absorption

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Microstructure Analysis, Phase Composition and Properties of Metal

edited by

Mehmet Erdi Korkmaz

submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 155 | Submission Open

Keywords: advanced characterization of metallic alloy microstructures (SEM; TEM; EBSD; XRD; etc.); phase transformations and kinetics in metals; relationships between microstructural and mechanical properties; heat treatment; thermomechanical processing; and surface modification; modeling and simulation of microstructural evolution; correlation of crystal structure and anisotropy with physical properties; metallic behavior under extreme environments (e.g.; cryogenic; high temperature; and corrosive); novel alloying concepts and high-performance steel grades (e.g.; AHSS; TRIP; TWIP; and maraging)

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Synthesis and Characterization of Ceramics and Ceramic-Based Composites

edited by

Milica Posarac-Markovic

submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 84 | Submission Open

Keywords: ceramics; crystalline structure; characterization methods; sintering; microstructure; ceramic-based composites

(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)

Recent Advances in Photocatalytic Material

edited by Yingchun Li and

Gururaj M. Neelgund

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

Keywords: photocatalyst; photocatalysis; photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide; photocatalytic splitting water; photocatalytic degradation; photocatalytic self-cleaning

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

In Situ Study of Mineralogy, Gemology, and Geochemistry and Advances in Gem Resource Exploration

edited by Ying Guo and

Qingfeng Guo

submission deadline 30 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 122 | Submission Open

Keywords: crystal in situ; mineral crystallography; gemological quality evaluation; geochronology of gemstones; geological setting; geographic origin; gemstone characterization; genesis of gemstones; museum-collected mineral samples

(This special issue belongs to the Section Mineralogical Crystallography and Biomineralization)

Design and Development of Silicon Heterostructures for Electronics and Photonics

edited by Abel Garzón Román, Carlos Zúñiga Islas, Sergio Alberto Gamboa Sánchez and

María Eugenia Rabanal Jiménez

submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | Submission Open

Keywords: crystals; semiconductors; superconductors; characterization techniques; heterostructures; electronics; and photonics application; organic or inorganic materials; growth; deposit; experimental or computational results

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Graphene Based Nanocomposites

edited by

Zhao-Chi Chen

and Tien-Li Chang

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 82 | Submission Open

Keywords: graphene nanocomposites; 2D materials; functionalization and defect engineering; laser/photonic processing; additive manufacturing; flexible/wearable sensors; energy storage and conversion; electro/photocatalysis; in situ/operando characterization; machine learning guided materials design

(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)

Crystallography of Enzymes (2nd Edition)

edited by

Bo Liang

and

Houfu Guo

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 66 | Submission Open

Keywords: enzyme structure and function; X-ray and serial crystallography; de novo enzyme design; ancestral reconstruction; protein engineering; catalytic mechanism; structural dynamics; substrate and inhibitor interactions; computational modeling

(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomolecular Crystals)

Crystallization and Precipitation in Life-Science, (Bio)polymer and Recycling Industries

edited by

Heike Lorenz

Erik Temmel

and Vico Tenberg

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 34 | Submission Open

Keywords: phase equilibria; recycling processes; circular economy; biopolymer processing and valorization; sustainable process engineering; innovative crystallization and precipitation process concepts; industrial applications

(This special issue belongs to the Section Industrial Crystallization)

Research on Liquid Crystal Materials and Optical Devices

edited by

Pedro Marques de Almeida

and

Juliana Eccher

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 13 | Submission Open

Keywords: columnar liquid crystals; self-organizing; optical devices; planar and homeotropic alignment; organic electronics; semiconducting nanoparticles; solar cells; oleds; transistors; displays

(This special issue belongs to the Section Liquid Crystals)

Recent Advances in Graphene and Other Two-Dimensional Materials (2nd Edition)

edited by

Grazia Giuseppina Politano

and

John Parthenios

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 9 | Submission Open

Keywords: two-dimensional materials; two-dimensional material based membranes; graphene; graphene oxide; transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs); graphene-based composites; two-dimensional advanced devices and applications; functionalization of graphene; characterization techniques: electrical; electronic; optical; and mechanical properties

(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)

Modern Gem Crystals: Synthesis, Characterization, Genesis, and Intelligent Analysis

edited by

Ye Yuan

Guanghai Shi

and

Fei Liu

submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 115 | Submission Open

Keywords: gemology; mineralogy; geographic-origin determination; spectroscopy; synthetic gemstones; treatment detection; artificial intelligence (AI) in gemology; digitalization; non-destructive testing

(This special issue belongs to the Section Mineralogical Crystallography and Biomineralization)

Microstructure and Properties of Steel Materials

edited by

Shilong Liu

Yishuang Yu

, Qizhe Ye and

Yangxin Wang

submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 78 | Submission Open

Keywords: steel; microstructure; phase transformation; mechanical properties; corrosion; hydrogen embrittlement; materials processing; additive manufacturing; machine learning

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Functional Nanomaterials for Electrochemical Sensing and Energy Storage

edited by

Justina Gaidukevic

and

Ruta Rasike

submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 36 | Submission Open

Keywords: graphene-based materials; layered double hydroxide (LDH); conductive polymers; hybrid nanocomposites; electrochemical sensing; energy storage

(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)

Applications of Additive Manufacturing and Numerical Simulation in High-Performance Metallic Materials

edited by Yunwei Gui and

Umberto Prisco

submission deadline 20 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 37 | Submission Open

Keywords: additive manufacturing; numerical simulation; high-performance metals; multi-physics modeling; experimental validation; process-microstructure-property relationships; topology optimization; residual stress; digital twin; powder bed fusion

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Applications of Crystalline Materials in Elastocaloric Devices

edited by

Claudia Masselli

Adriana Greco

and

Luca Cirillo

submission deadline 31 Dec 2026 | Viewed by 62 | Submission Open

Keywords: elastocaloric; shape memory alloys; austenite– martensite transformations; solid-state cooling; solid-state heat pumping

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Research in Magnesium-Based Alloys

edited by Shifeng Luo,

Xinyu Yang

, Yan Wang and Xiao Lei

submission deadline 31 Dec 2026 | Viewed by 21 | Submission Open

Keywords: high-strength Mg alloys; thermal conductivity; texture; heterogeneous structure; LPSO phase; hot extrusion; dynamic recrystallization; creep

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)

Advances in Optoelectronic Materials

edited by Mourad Boutahir and El Mehdi El Khattabi

submission deadline 31 Dec 2026 | Viewed by 15 | Submission Open

Keywords: two-dimensional materials; DFT; CVD

(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)

Crystals: 15th Anniversary

edited by