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

Advanced Research in Lithium-Ion Battery Materials

edited by

Jiancun Rao

submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 138 | 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 149 | 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 | 7 articles | Viewed by 16343 | 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 3313 | 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 | 10 articles | Viewed by 16619 | 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 2734 | 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 1703 | 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 1628 | 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)

Thin Film Materials for Sensors

edited by

Zhihui Liu

Yaru Wang

, Xue Qi and

Lin Gan

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 115 | Submission Open

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

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

Solid-State Batteries: Materials Design and Optimization

edited by Sijie Liu and

Le Zhou

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 100 | 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)

Preparation and Performance Research of Piezoelectric Ceramics

edited by

Yalin Qin

and Yongcheng Zhang

submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 78 | 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 52 | 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 35 | 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 3636 | 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)

Modified Semiconductors: Synthesis, Structure and Advanced Applications

edited by Nivaldo Freire Andrade Neto

submission deadline 25 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 155 | Submission Open

Keywords: nanomaterials and nanotechnology; semiconductors; photocatalytic applications; electrochemical applications; crystallography; spectroscopy

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

Recent Research on Piezoelectric Ceramics

edited by Nengneng Luo,

Junjun Wang

, Xudong Qi, Linjing Liu,

Jie Wu

and Kai Li

submission deadline 29 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 94 | 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 126 | 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 104 | 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 77 | 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)

Advanced Research on Ferroelectric Materials

edited by Tianyu Li and

Liqiang He

submission deadline 10 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 38 | Submission Open

Keywords: ferroelectrics; dielectrics; piezoelectrics; polarization; ferroelectric domain; lattice structure; electronic structure; thin film; ceramic; device

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

Metal Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, and Biological Activity

edited by

Ana Kesic

and Jovana V. Bogojeski

submission deadline 10 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 19 | Submission Open

Keywords: coordination compounds; transition metal complexes; N-; O-; S-donor ligands; spectroscopic characterization; X-ray crystallography / crystal structure; thermodynamic and kinetic studies; stability and reactivity; DNA and protein interactions; cytotoxicity and antitumor activity; antimicrobial activity

(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)

Key Crystal Materials for Optoelectronic Devices: Structure Regulation, Performance Optimization, and Device Applications

edited by Penghui He and

Lin Gan

submission deadline 10 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 18 | Submission Open

Keywords: crystal growth and defect engineering; optoelectronic property tuning; structure– performance relationships; high-efficiency photonic devices; emerging crystalline materials

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

Graphene-Related and Graphene-Like Reinforcements in Composites: Manufacturing and Applications

edited by

Daniel Salvi

and Silvia Vesco

submission deadline 15 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 331 | Submission Open

Keywords: two-dimensional materials; polymer composites; metal matrix composites; coatings; particle reinforcement; green manufacturing; lightweighting; wear resistance; mechanical performances; conductivity

Microstructure Analysis, Phase Composition and Properties of Metal

edited by

Mehmet Erdi Korkmaz

submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 165 | 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)

Recent Advances in Photocatalytic Material

edited by Yingchun Li and

Gururaj M. Neelgund

submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 103 | 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)

Synthesis and Characterization of Ceramics and Ceramic-Based Composites

edited by

Milica Posarac-Markovic

submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 96 | Submission Open

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

(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)

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 140 | 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 | Viewed by 68 | 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)

Electron Microscopy of Semiconductor and Magnetic Materials

edited by Sangmoon Yoon

submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 9 | Submission Open

Keywords: electron microscopy; semiconductor materials; magnetic materials; structure– property relationships; in situ/operando characterization

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

Research on Liquid Crystal Materials and Optical Devices

edited by

Pedro Marques de Almeida

and

Juliana Eccher

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 137 | 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 111 | 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)

Graphene-Based Nanocomposites

edited by

Zhao-Chi Chen

and Tien-Li Chang

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 103 | 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 92 | 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 54 | 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)

Perovskite Materials: Structure, Properties and Applications

edited by Xiangqian Shen, Hua Zhou and

Heinz Christoph Neitzert

submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 18 | Submission Open

Keywords: perovskite photoelectric devices; material engineering; scalable manufacturing; clean energy; environmental sustainability

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

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 155 | 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 111 | 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 45 | 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 64 | 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 83 | 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)

Advances in Optoelectronic Materials

edited by Mourad Boutahir and El Mehdi El Khattabi

submission deadline 31 Dec 2026 | Viewed by 46 | Submission Open

Keywords: two-dimensional materials; DFT; CVD

(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 44 | 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)

Crystals: 15th Anniversary

edited by