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Molecules
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Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering for Sustainable Functional Coatings
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Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering for Sustainable Functional Coatings

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1871

Editor

Dr. Omid Sharifahmadian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Coating Department, FunGlass, Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, 911 50 Trenčín, Slovakia
Interests: plasma deposition techniques (PECVD and PVD); thin film and surface analysis; tribology; bio surface engineering; electrophoretic deposition and thermal spray coatings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Interest in functional coatings has increased significantly in recent years, driven by extensive global research efforts and growing industrial and consumer demand for advanced materials with improved performance, durability, and multifunctional capabilities. These coatings are designed with unique properties such as water repellence, corrosion resistance, self-healing, antireflective, conductivity, and wear resistance to meet current needs in fields such as energy, electronics, healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and environmental applications.

In this context, precise control over design, chemical composition, and surface chemistry is essential. Carefully designed structures such as multilayer, nanocomposite, gradient, and nanostructured designs together with optimized choices of polymers, oxides, hybrid materials, dopants, and precursors lead to improved bulk and interfacial performance.

This Special Issue will examine emerging trends in the field and aims to highlight the latest scientific advances in synthesis, characterization, performance optimization, and application of functional coatings. It builds on prior collections by focusing on innovative approaches to scalability, sustainability, durability under extreme conditions, and multifunctional integration.

I invite authors to contribute original research and review articles that provide readers with new and updated perspectives on the design, chemical composition, and surface chemistry of functional coatings. Through collaboration, we aim to advance the development of next-generation coatings for diverse high-impact applications.

Dr. Omid Sharifahmadian
Guest Editor

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • corrosion resistance
  • self-cleaning
  • antireflective
  • conductivity
  • wear resistance

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 4600 KB  
Article
Tuning the Absorption Spectrum of Polydopamine via Post-Synthetic Oxidation with Bobbit’s Salt
by Cheng Chang, Yiming Yin, Sheng Long, Defa Hou, Fulin Yang, Xu Lin, Yunwu Zheng and Yuan Zou
Molecules 2026, 31(10), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31101664 - 14 May 2026
Viewed by 420
Abstract
Polydopamine (PDA) is a promising biomimetic material, but its structural complexity hinders rational control over its light absorption properties. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple post-synthetic method to tune the absorption spectrum of PDA using Bobbit’s salt (4-acetylamino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium salt) [...] Read more.
Polydopamine (PDA) is a promising biomimetic material, but its structural complexity hinders rational control over its light absorption properties. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple post-synthetic method to tune the absorption spectrum of PDA using Bobbit’s salt (4-acetylamino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium salt) as a mild oxidant. Conventional PDA nanoparticles were treated with Bobbit’s salt either in pure water or in a 1:1 methanol–water mixture to obtain two modified samples. Structural analysis conducted using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry demonstrated that Bobbit’s salt selectively oxidized catechol units to ortho-benzoquinone moieties, with the C–O/C=O ratio decreasing from 71:29 in the untreated PDA to 51:49 in the water-treated sample, while nitrogen functionalities remained unchanged. Consequently, the sample prepared in pure water showed generally lower absorbance across the visible–near-infrared range, whereas the sample prepared in the methanol–water mixture exhibited enhanced ultraviolet absorption but reduced near-infrared absorption. When coated onto polyvinylidene fluoride membranes, the water-treated PDA produced a brighter and more reddish-yellow appearance. On transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) substrates, the same coating also enhanced ultraviolet blocking and reduced visible transmittance. These findings conclude that Bobbit’s salt is an effective and selective reagent for tailoring the optical properties of PDA, with potential applications in protective coatings and light-modulating materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering for Sustainable Functional Coatings)
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13 pages, 6378 KB  
Article
Synergistic Regulation of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Coating and Pseudocapacitive Kinetics in TiO2 Nanofibers for Enhanced Sodium-Ion Storage
by Fei Guo, Liang Xie, Liangquan Wei, Jinmei Du, Shaohui Zhang, Yuanmiao Xie and Baosheng Liu
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091418 - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 363
Abstract
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) represent a compelling alternative to lithium-ion batteries for grid-scale energy storage, owing to the high natural abundance and low cost of sodium resources, as well as their strategic alignment with national energy security priorities. Nevertheless, the sluggish Na+ diffusion [...] Read more.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) represent a compelling alternative to lithium-ion batteries for grid-scale energy storage, owing to the high natural abundance and low cost of sodium resources, as well as their strategic alignment with national energy security priorities. Nevertheless, the sluggish Na+ diffusion kinetics and limited specific capacity of anode materials continue to impede practical deployment. Herein, nitrogen-doped carbon-coated TiO2 nanofibers (TiO2/C-N) were rationally engineered through a facile electrospinning route integrated with synergistic defect and coating engineering. The in situ-formed N-doped carbon shell establishes a continuous, high-conductivity electron-transport network while simultaneously buffering volumetric strain during repeated (de)sodiation, thereby preserving long-term structural integrity. Electrochemical assessments demonstrate that the TiO2/C-N electrode delivers a reversible specific capacity of 233.64 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 (initial Coulombic efficiency 54.13%). Quantitative kinetic analysis reveals a pronounced pseudocapacitive contribution of 41.4% at 1.2 mV s−1, confirming a surface-controlled Na+ storage pathway that markedly enhances rate capability. Moreover, the electrode retains 245.5 mAh g−1 after 150 cycles at 1 A g−1, underscoring exceptional cycling stability. This work elucidates the synergistic regulation of N-doped carbon coating and pseudocapacitive kinetics in TiO2-based anodes, offering a robust design strategy for high-rate, long-cycle-life SIB anodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering for Sustainable Functional Coatings)
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Review

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30 pages, 7065 KB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of Zero-Dimensional Carbon-Based Nanomaterials in Anti-Corrosive Coating Applications: A Combined Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis
by Xiaochuan Liu, Gaofei Kong, Shengbin Li, Bo Zhou, Chuang He, Haijie He and Shuang E
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091521 - 3 May 2026
Viewed by 761
Abstract
Anti-corrosive coatings are among the most widely used methods for corrosion protection. Zero-dimensional (0D) carbon nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention due to their advantages, such as small size, high specific surface area, ease of surface functionalization, and strong interfacial regulation capability, which enable [...] Read more.
Anti-corrosive coatings are among the most widely used methods for corrosion protection. Zero-dimensional (0D) carbon nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention due to their advantages, such as small size, high specific surface area, ease of surface functionalization, and strong interfacial regulation capability, which enable enhanced barrier properties, densification, and multifunctional protection of coatings. However, existing reviews have largely focused on the application of 2D carbon nanomaterials in anti-corrosive coatings, with a lack of systematic summaries on 0D carbon nanomaterials, particularly comprehensive reviews that combine quantitative bibliometric analysis with qualitative content analysis. To address this gap, this review employs a combined approach of bibliometric analysis and content analysis to systematically summarize the research progress of three typical types of 0D carbon nanomaterials, including nanodiamonds, fullerenes, and carbon dots, in the field of corrosion protective coatings. The quantitative analysis is conducted using CiteSpace 6.4 R.2 to reveal publication trends, research hotspots, and frontier evolution in this field, while the qualitative analysis selects representative studies to summarize application systems, performance characteristics, and underlying mechanisms. On this basis, the key challenges currently faced are identified, and future research directions are proposed. This review provides a systematic reference for the material design, mechanistic understanding, and engineering application of 0D carbon nanomaterial-based anti-corrosive coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Materials and Surface Engineering for Sustainable Functional Coatings)
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