Surface Modulation of Hybrid Coatings for Enhanced Stability, Catalysis and Adsorption

Dear Colleagues,

The development of hybrid organic–inorganic materials, possessing diverse spatial architectures, has paved the way for state-of-the-art applications due to their peculiar properties. These materials integrate mechanical durability thermal robustness and the structural tunability of inorganic constituents with the flexibility, broad functional range and processability of organic components. Surface engineering is a powerful strategy to manipulate the behavior of materials, because the formation mechanisms from synthetic chemistry routes to functional performance can be altered via structural and compositional design.

The current synthetic strategies of hybrid materials are based on the reaction mechanisms of organic and inorganic constituents and computational viewpoints and include solution-based processes and chemical deposition techniques. The final architecture is driven by molecular self-assembly and innovative approaches for the construction of 3D hybrid materials based on functional organic material. The present synthesis strategies for hybrid materials are based on the reaction mechanisms of organic and inorganic components and computational perspectives and include solution-based processes and chemical deposition methods. Molecular self-assembly is driving the resulting architecture and new strategies for building three-dimensional hybrid materials from functional organic compounds, metal ions and porous inorganic materials, further expanding the design space accessible to researchers.

The properties of these materials in practical applications are largely determined by the nature of their surface: its chemical composition, topology, defect density and how it interacts with adjacent media at molecular and interfacial levels. Of particular interest are the protective properties of hybrid coatings and their structural reliability in corrosion, as well as their use in catalysis, energy storage devices and biomedical applications. The functional properties are directly determined by the architecture and chemistry of the hybrid material.

This Special Issue focuses on original research and review articles regarding the use of deliberate surface modulation strategies such as compositional grading, ligand engineering, nanostructuring, functional group modification and control of the hybridization ratio for tuning the physicochemical behavior of organic/inorganic hybrid coatings. The significance of structure–property relationships that connect surface design with chemical stability, catalytic activity, adsorption capacity and interfacial phenomena such as wettability, charge transfer and adhesion is emphasized.

Topics of Interest

The general scopes of the Special Issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Synthesis and fabrication strategies for organic/inorganic hybrid coatings (sol–gel, layer-by-layer assembly, grafting, in situ polymerization, atomic/molecular layer deposition, etc.)
• Surface functionalization approaches to enhance chemical and environmental stability (corrosion resistance, hydrolytic stability, UV/thermal durability)
• Molecular self-assembly in the construction of hybrid architectures, including three-dimensional systems combining organic compounds, metal ions and porous inorganic materials
• Design of hybrid coatings for heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis
• Adsorption-active hybrid surfaces for pollutant removal, gas capture or selective separation
• Interfacial interactions and charge/mass transfer phenomena at organic–inorganic boundaries
• Characterization techniques probing surface composition, morphology and reactivity (XPS, AFM, contact angle, spectroscopic ellipsometry, etc.)
• Computational and theoretical studies of surface/interface structure–property relationships
• Durability, aging and degradation mechanisms of hybrid coatings under service conditions
• Emerging applications in energy storage/conversion, biomedical coatings, anti-fouling surfaces and smart/stimuli-responsive coatings

The Special Issue invites you to submit your research work for contribution.

Dr. Siti Fatimah
Prof. Dr. Chaouiki Abdelkarim
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• surface modulation
• light-weight alloys
• surface engineering
• smart coating
• functional surface
• hybrid coating
• organic/inorganic material
• catalytic activity
• electrochemical response
• interfacial mechanism