Mechanical, Tribological and Microstructural Characterization of Functional Coatings
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2026 | Viewed by 39
Special Issue Editors
Interests: tribology; wear; coatings; surface integrity; mechanical behavior of materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue invites contributions focusing on the mechanical, tribological, and microstructural characterization of functional coatings used in diverse engineering applications. Functional coatings are essential for enhancing surface properties such as hardness, wear resistance, and friction behavior. Their performance is strongly influenced by composition, deposition method, and underlying microstructure.
We seek original research and review articles that investigate these relationships through experimental and analytical approaches. Relevant topics include hardness, wear, and friction analysis under different conditions, phase and microstructure evaluation using XRD, SEM, or TEM, and performance assessment of coatings produced by methods such as thermal spraying, PVD, CVD, and sol–gel techniques.
Papers that link material design to real-world functionality, explore new materials or hybrid systems, or propose novel characterization methodologies are particularly encouraged. The goal is to highlight advances that support the development and optimization of coatings for applications in the petroleum, gas, aerospace, automotive, energy, and industrial sectors. This Special Issue will serve as a guide for researchers aiming to deepen the understanding of coating behavior and drive innovation in surface engineering technologies.
Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Pintaude
Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Rassim Younes
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- functional coatings
- metals
- ceramics
- surface engineering
- tribological performance
- mechanical characterization
- microstructural analysis
- deposition techniques
- advanced materials
- surface integrity
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