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.

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Analysis of Halogen and Other σ-Hole Bonds in Crystals (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 9087 | Submission Open
Keywords: halogen bonding; sigma-hole bonding; electrostatic potentials; nature of noncovalent interactions
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)
Synthesis and Characterization of Ceramics and Ceramic-Based Composites submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 689 | 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 Materials
edited by Yingchun Li and
submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 358 | 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)
Advances in Plasticizers and Liquid Crystals: Design, Properties and Applications submission deadline 20 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 344 | Submission Open
Keywords: liquid crystals; plasticizers; ionic liquid crystals; ionic plasticizers; ionic liquids; advanced materials; differential scanning calorimetry; polarized optical microscopy; X-ray diffraction; dielectric spectroscopy
(This special issue belongs to the Section Liquid Crystals)
In Situ Study of Mineralogy, Gemology, and Geochemistry and Advances in Gem Resource Exploration
edited by Ying Guo and
submission deadline 30 Jul 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2194 | 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
submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1006 | 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 224 | 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)
Microstructure Characterization and Design of Alloys, 2nd Edition
edited by , Arnoldo Bedolla-Jacuiende, Jacinto Cortéz Pérez and
submission deadline 1 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 415 | Submission Open
Keywords: microstructural analysis; mechanical properties; tribological behavior of ferrous and non-ferrous alloys
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)
Performance and Processing of Metal Materials
edited by Zhanfeng Wang and Benilde Costa
submission deadline 10 Aug 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 7060 | Submission Open
Keywords: metal materials; high-performance alloys; advanced processing techniques; material behavior modeling; mechanical properties
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)
Ceramic Materials: Structural, Mechanical and Dielectric Properties
edited by and
submission deadline 10 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4351 | Submission Open
Keywords: dielectric materials; functional ceramics; complex oxides; ferroelectric materials; non-Debye relaxation; solid-state synthesis; sol–gel synthesis; structural characterization (XRD, SEM, Raman, XPS); composition–structure–property relationships; energy storage; microwave devices; flexible electronics; materials for communication systems; multifunctional composites; impedance analyzer; crystallographic; microstructural; optical properties
(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)
Properties and Synthesis of Luminescent Materials submission deadline 10 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2344 | Submission Open
Keywords: luminescent materials; lanthanide doping; transition metal doping; synthesis; structure–property correlations; optical properties; luminescence thermometry; fluorescence sensors; photocatalysis; defects
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Recent Progress in Corrosion Protection of Materials
edited by , Ivan Erick Castaneda-Robles and
submission deadline 10 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 896 | Submission Open
Keywords: corrosion; protection; sustainable; materials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Industrial Crystallization)
Magnetic Materials and Monte Carlo Simulations
edited by and Naihua Miao
submission deadline 10 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 420 | Submission Open
Keywords: magnetic materials; monte carlo methods; monte carlo simulation; hysteresis behavior; spin systems; phase transitions; magnetic nanostructures; magnetocaloric effect; Density Functional Theory (DFT); ddvanced functional materials; computational modeling
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
Synergizing Crystallography, Mineral Materials Science and Solid Waste Upcycling for Sustainable Materials Innovation
edited by Limei Wu, Xin Liu and
submission deadline 15 Aug 2026 | 8 articles | Viewed by 5578 | Submission Open
Keywords: mineral crystallography; mineral materials; solid waste valorization; AI-driven material design
Metal Oxide-Based Nanomaterials: Advances in Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 10702 | Submission Open
Keywords: metal-oxide-based nanomaterials; nanocrystals; synthesis techniques; characterization; environmental remediation; catalysis; biomedical applications; green synthesis; toxicity assessment; sustainability; interdisciplinary research; machine learning; innovative research; environmental monitoring; drug delivery; life cycle analysis
(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)
Advances in Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites for Catalytic Applications
edited by
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 9105 | Submission Open
Keywords: nanomaterials; nanocomposites; nanocatalysts; catalytic performance; pollutant degradation; energy
(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)
Crystalline Materials for Energy Conversion Applications in Solar Cells
edited by Eros Radicchi and Francesca Lo Presti
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 8893 | Submission Open
Keywords: solar cells; up-conversion; down-conversion; down-shifting; cystalline materials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Crystallography of Enzymes (2nd Edition)
edited by and
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2265 | 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)
Recent Advances in Scintillator Materials
edited by
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2217 | Submission Open
Keywords: scintillators; crystals, films, ceramics, nanopowders; melt growth, liquid-phase epitaxy, and solid-state reactions; luminescence; energy transfer processes; defects; dopants
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
Perovskite Materials: Structure, Properties and Applications
edited by Xiangqian Shen, Hua Zhou and
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1142 | 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)
Crystallization and Precipitation in Life-Science, (Bio)polymer and Recycling Industries
edited by , and Vico Tenberg
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 796 | 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 submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 646 | 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) submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 458 | 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 and Tien-Li Chang
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 289 | 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)
Crystal Structures and Electronic Properties Under High Pressure
edited by Zhiying Guo
submission deadline 20 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 182 | Submission Open
Keywords: structural phase transitions; charge density wave; lattice modulations; crystal structure prediction; high pressure
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Advanced High Strength Steels
edited by Mattia Franceschi
submission deadline 30 Aug 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2257 | Submission Open
Keywords: AHSS; quench and partitioning; carbide free bainite; medium manganese steel; TRIP; austenite; bainitic transformation; tensile properties; fatigue; heat treatment
Machine Learning for Material and Process Optimization in Additive Manufacturing submission deadline 30 Aug 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1915 | Submission Open
Keywords: machine learning; additive manufacturing; process optimization; material design; artificial intelligence; material development; digital twins; process control; data-driven modeling; advanced manufacturing; sustainable manufacturing
Modern Gem Crystals: Synthesis, Characterization, Genesis and Intelligent Analysis
edited by , and
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 5030 | 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 , , Qizhe Ye and
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2167 | 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 submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1664 | 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)
Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Novel Solid-State Materials and Their Applications
edited by and Patricia Barahona
submission deadline 10 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1353 | Submission Open
Keywords: solid-state synthesis; crystalline materials; structural characterization; structure–property relationships; application of solid-state materials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
Perovskites: Crystal Structure, Properties and Applications submission deadline 10 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1098 | Submission Open
Keywords: perovskite materials; crystal structure; material characterization; energy applications; nanotechnology; computational modeling
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Advances in Crystalline Nanocellulose and Its Derivatives for Sustainable Functional Materials
edited by Carlos Molina-Ramírez and
submission deadline 10 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 404 | Submission Open
Keywords: crystalline nanocellulose; cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs); cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs); circular economy; sustainable materials; nanocellulose applications; bio-based composites; structure–property relationships; biodegradable materials; functional nanomaterials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Organic Crystalline Materials)
Advances in Self-Assembled Luminescent Materials
edited by Gong Zhang, and Jianrong Qiu
submission deadline 10 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 347 | Submission Open
Keywords: supramolecular polymers; supramolecular assembly; circularly polarized luminescence; chiral self-assembly; crystal structure; optoelectronic properties; aggregation-induced emission
Microstructure and Characterization of Crystalline Materials submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 7 articles | Viewed by 8409 | Submission Open
Keywords: metallic and composite materials; casting; AM; plastic working; SPD; microstructure evolution and characterization; plasticity; mechanical properties; destructive and nondestructive testing; computer simulations; expert systems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)
Advances in High-Performance Alloys
edited by Huihui Zhi, Cheng Wen and
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 8 articles | Viewed by 7082 | 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)
Crystallization Processes and Simulation Calculations, Fourth Edition
edited by , and Mingxuan Li
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3187 | Submission Open
Keywords: process analytical technology; process intensification; AI-enhanced crystallization; machine learning; multi-objective optimization; molecular dynamics simulation; hydrodynamics simulation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Industrial Crystallization)
Heterocyclic Compounds in Drug Discovery: Synthesis, X-Ray Crystal Structures, Applications and Computational Approaches submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2580 | Submission Open
Keywords: heterocyclic compounds; synthetic methodologies; structural characterization; X-ray crystallography studies; biological properties; computational chemistry
(This special issue belongs to the Section Biomolecular Crystals)
Advances in Photocatalytic Technology and Materials submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1945 | Submission Open
Keywords: photocatalytic materials; nanostructured photocatalysts; scalable solar fuel production; hydrogen generation; photoelectrochemical; charge transfer separation; CO2 valorization; semiconductor interfaces; photocatalytic structural modification; photocatalytic reforming
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Advances in Pharmaceutical Crystals: Numerical Simulations and Experimental Investigations submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1360 | Submission Open
Keywords: pharmaceutical crystals; polymorphism; cocrystals; crystallization process; molecular modeling; process simulation; in situ characterization; crystal engineering; solid-form screening; computational pharmaceutics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Industrial Crystallization)
Simulation on Casting and Solidification Process of Crystalline Metals and Alloys submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1301 | Submission Open
Keywords: casting simulation; solidification modeling; crystalline metals and alloys; microstructure evolution; grain structure prediction; thermal and fluid flow analysis; phase transformation; numerical methods in metallurgy; defect prediction in casting
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crystalline Metals and Alloys)
Emerging Nanostructured Powders: Synthesis and Applications submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1293 | Submission Open
Keywords: nanostructured powders; nanospheres; oxide metal; high-entropy alloys; MXenes; metal–organic frameworks (MOFs); advanced ceramics; energy storage; heterogeneous catalysis; additive manufacturing; functional nanomaterials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)
Advanced Characterization and Crystal Engineering of Coordination Polymers and Hybrid Frameworks
edited by Nomampondo Penelope Magwa and Gareth Mostyn Watkins
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 552 | Submission Open
Keywords: coordination compounds; MOFs; hybrid crystalline materials; crystal engineering; X-ray diffraction; spectroscopy; thermal analysis; porosity and BET; computational chemistry (DFT/ML); catalysis; gas separations; bioinorganic materials
(This special issue belongs to the Section Hybrid and Composite Crystalline Materials)
Advances in Electrochemical Energy Storage Materials: From Fundamental Mechanisms to Practical Applications
edited by Weiqiang Lv and
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 474 | Submission Open
Keywords: electrochemical energy storage; advanced materials; battery; catalysis; in situ characterization; interfacial chemistry; nanomaterials; solid-state electrolytes; mechanism elucidation; device engineering
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Advanced Functional Ceramics for Energy, Dielectric and Electromagnetic Applications
edited by and Ge Wang
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 459 | Submission Open
Keywords: energy storage ceramics; energy harvesting ceramics; dielectric ceramics; ferroelectric/multiferroic ceramics; piezoelectric ceramics; solid-state electrolytes; electromagnetic shielding and absorption; wireless communication applications; microstructural engineering; machine learning-assisted materials design
(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)
Advanced Synthesis of Thin Films for Photonic Applications
edited by , Marian Zamfirescu and
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 302 | Submission Open
Keywords: optical devices; thin film; advanced functional materials; strain mediated functionalities; tailored optical and electrical properties
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
New Horizons in Emerging Electroceramics: From Fundamentals to Next-Generation Devices
edited by and Alexandre Zirpoli Simões
submission deadline 20 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 258 | Submission Open
Keywords: electroceramics; crystal structure and defects; structure–property relationships; thin films and multilayers; energy harvesting and storage; sensors and actuators; power electronics; in situ/operando characterization; microstructure engineering; functional devices
(This special issue belongs to the Section Polycrystalline Ceramics)
Synthesis and Applications of Crystalline Nanoporous Materials submission deadline 22 Sep 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1042 | Submission Open
Keywords: nanoporous materials; metal-oxide semiconductors; dealloying processes; top-down synthesis; bottom-up synthesis; amorphous metallic alloys; framework; electrochemical properties; sensor integration; metal–oxide interaction
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
The Cutting Edge of Energy Materials Research Aimed at Practical Application
edited by
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1463 | Submission Open
Keywords: perovskite material; battery material (secondary battery, super capacitor, etc.); wide-bandgap semiconductor; thermoelectric materials (solid and liquid); characterization
(This special issue belongs to the Section Materials for Energy Applications)
Crystal Scintillator as Radiation Detector submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 274 | Submission Open
Keywords: crystal scintillator; radiation detectors; crystal growth and characterization; scintillation properties; low-background detectors; particle and astroparticle physics; medical and imaging application
(This special issue belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
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