Announcements

Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991) is recruiting a Section Editor-in-Chief for the Section “Nanotechnology in Agriculture”.

Nanomaterials is an international, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary scholarly open access journal, published semimonthly online by MDPI. It publishes reviews, regular research papers, communications, and short notes that are relevant to any field of study that involves nanomaterials, with respect to their science and application. The Spanish Carbon Group (GEC) and The Chinese Society of Micro-Nano Technology (CSMNT) are affiliated with Nanomaterials and their members receive discounts on the article processing charges.

Section Editors-in-Chief are leaders in their particular field, and are responsible for ensuring the scientific quality of a particular Section of a journal. The Section Editor-in-Chief is expected to oversee the growth and development of the journal Sections and their Board Members. The initial term for this position is 2 years, and it entails the following roles:

• Acting as an ambassador for the journal, MDPI and open access publishing;
• Making scientific decisions about the scope of their Section;
• Inviting distinguished scientists to join the Editorial Board;
• Suggesting topics for Special Issues;
• Providing support and guidance to Editorial Board Members and editorial staff when required;
• Maintaining oversight of the editorial process for individual manuscripts in their Section (mainly by making the final decision regarding whether a paper can be published after undergoing peer review and revisions);
• Understanding, leading, and upholding MDPI’s peer review guidelines and ethics guidelines.

This position is open to experts in related aspects of nanotechnology and agricultural sciences and will remain open until the journal formally announces the Section Editor-in-Chief online. To apply for this position, recommend potential candidates, or request further information, please contact the Nanomaterials Editorial Office.

The “Nanotechnology in Agriculture” Section is also recruiting Editorial Board Members (EBMs), Guest Editors, and volunteer reviewers. The relevant requirement information can be found at the following link:

• https://www.mdpi.com/editors;
• https://www.mdpi.com/special_issues_guidelines;
• https://www.mdpi.com/reviewers#5_Volunteer_Reviewers.

We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

Nanomaterials Editorial Office

Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Section—“Nanotechnology in Agriculture”. In total, the journal has 14 Sections, covering all topics pertaining to nanomaterials.

The Section “Nanotechnology in Agriculture” focuses on the application of nanoscale materials and technologies in agricultural systems, aiming to support sustainable farming, food security, and resource efficiency. It welcomes original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and case studies that explore the practical and theoretical integration of nanotechnology in agriculture.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Nanopesticides and Nanofertilizers: The development of nanoscale formulations for targeted delivery, enhanced efficacy, and reduced ecological footprint, including studies on bioavailability and long-term soil health impacts;
• Crop Enhancement: Applications of nanomaterials in seed priming, stress resistance (e.g., drought, salinity), and genetic modification techniques to improve yield and resilience;
• Soil and Water Management: Innovations in nanosensors for the real-time monitoring of soil nutrients, moisture, and contaminants and nanomaterials for water purification and efficient irrigation systems;
• Food Safety and Quality: Nanotechnology-enabled solutions for smart packaging, pathogen detection, and preservation technologies to extend shelf life and reduce food waste;
• Environmental Impact Assessment: Critical evaluations of nanomaterial interactions with ecosystems, including toxicity, biodegradability, and lifecycle analyses to ensure sustainable deployment.

More details can be found via the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nanomaterials/sections/Nanotechnology_in_Agriculture.

We would like to invite researchers working in relevant fields to consider submitting their work to this Section. We look forward to receiving your contributions and disseminating research at the intersection of nanotechnology and agriculture.

We are pleased to present the following list of title story articles from the first half of 2025, which will feature on the homepage of Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991). These papers outline recent advances in nanomaterials, covering topics such as nanostructures for biomarker detection, photocatalysts for environmental cleanup, sensors, energy storage materials, and biomedical applications, including cancer therapy. We would like to invite you to explore this selection of high-quality papers, which may be of interest to you.

We spoke with Prof. Dr. Eugenia (Éva) Valsami-Jones, who was recently appointed Editor-in-Chief of Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991), to learn more about her research, her decision to become Editor-in-Chief, and her experience with MDPI.

Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones received her PhD in geochemistry in 1990 and worked as an environmental mineralogist between 1996 and 2011. From there, she began teaching at the University of Birmingham as Professor of environmental nanoscience, where she was then appointed Chair of Environmental Nanoscience and Director of the Facility for Environmental Nanoscience Analysis and Characterisation (FENAC).

Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones’ research has focused on the understanding of reactivity at the nanoscale, specifically the interactions of nanoparticles with pollutants, biota, and biomineralization processes. Her work has explored how nanomaterials could be applied in various ways to help solve both health and environmental issues. For the former, Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones has studied how nanomaterials could be used for drug delivery, both providing a shield for drugs and promoting efficient delivery. For the latter, Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones and her team have looked at the potential of the two-dimensional materials MXenes, as well as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), at removing pollutants from the environment.

Further to this, Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones has pioneered novel methods for labeling nanomaterials, including using traceable stable isotopes.

In January of 2025, MDPI announced Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones as Editor-in-Chief of Nanomaterials.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Eugenia (Éva) Valsami-Jones, who shared her vision for the journal with us, as well as her views on the research area and open access publishing:

1. What made you want to become Editor-in-Chief of Nanomaterials?

I got to know Nanomaterials as an author first and had a pretty good experience publishing papers with them. Of course, not everything I submitted to the journal has been accepted! A few rejections are only healthy and right.

Some publishers can be extremely slow, and it’s frustrating. Sometimes it takes 6 months to get a paper back, by which point the science is out of date. Nanomaterials provided me with detailed reviews, and the process was fast enough to allow me to see that there was a benefit in publishing or becoming an author who regularly publishes with them.

At some point I stepped into the editorial department and was interviewed to see if I wanted to remain as an editor. During this interview it was mentioned that there was an Editor-in-Chief position coming up.

I think about publishing a lot as a scientist; it is essential to allow us to communicate our science. If it isn’t done right, it can harm the community and even the public who might be interested in the papers we publish. I wanted to become an Editor-in-Chief so that I could help support researchers and steer the field in the right direction.

2. How did the editorial department help with your transition to becoming Editor-in-Chief?

I can’t praise them enough; they have been so kind and patient with me. I had a 6–12-month transition period into the role, which, although insightful, hadn’t fully prepared me for the range and diversity of tasks that were at hand. Having such a supportive team that is patient with delays has been extremely helpful.

3. How do you, as Editor-in-Chief, make sure you are acting in the author’s best interest?

I act in the author’s best interest in two ways. I ensure that any decision I make as an Editor-in-Chief is in line with COPE and MDPI’s publication ethics guidelines, and I am never afraid to reject a paper. A colleague of mine once regretted publishing a paper due to the heavy criticism it received after it was published. This emphasized to me the importance of a rigorous review process. I am eager to uphold a great level of rigor and ensure only the best research is published.

4. What role do you play as Editor-in-Chief in maintaining and promoting research integrity?

Absolutely, a critical role. I am fully aware of the conditions papers must meet in order to uphold research integrity.

It is my duty as the Editor-in-Chief to make sure that any given paper is suitable for the journal, and I’m slowly feeling more confident about my abilities.

I’m currently involved in a number of papers that need to be reviewed for ethical reasons, and as much as I want to do this as fast as possible for everyone’s interest, I know I must scrutinize all the information that has been criticized until I’m confident I’ve given the right answer.

5. You currently have a Special Issue open with us about women in nanomaterials as part of the celebrations for 15 years of the journal. Could you tell us about your experience in running this Special Issue so far?

Interestingly, we have had input from both female and male colleagues in this Special Issue. It’s great that they see this as a chance to support the activity rather than feeling like it’s not their place to get involved.

Women are well represented in my team, not because I chose to actively promote them, but because I work well with them and there are lots of talented women out there. Oftentimes, women are less vocal about their capabilities, so I’m hoping this Special Issue encourages them to promote their work with more confidence.

STEM subjects are so male-dominated that we do need to try and level the playing field a little bit.

6. How does MDPI ensure that authors are put first during the submission and reviewing process?

As an author I have certain expectations from a journal, and I feel like these expectations are met by MDPI.  I had recently submitted a paper to a different journal and didn’t get confirmation that they’d received my paper for two weeks, which was very disappointing.

At MDPI, on the other hand, the journal and Editorial Office respond so quickly and politely, which is exactly what authors want. It is very personal, and the people I receive emails from are clearly “people’s people”; their responses are not stock MDPI replies, and they all have their own individual responses. There’s a clear effort to make the authors feel looked after from the word go.

7. How does MDPI ensure manuscripts get visibility once they are published?

Open access is the obvious first step to ensuring papers are accessible to everyone. A second is grouping papers and giving them a platform, like with Special Issues. Sometimes you read a specific paper and then see that it is part of a Special Issue, which results in you finding another paper that you want to read that you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.

8. What benefits do you think you have received from being an Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Member at MDPI?

It’s given me the opportunity to think deeply about publishing and how I could contribute to making it better for everyone.  I also love that I am able to jump from one research field to another. Having a broader oversight of papers in the wider field of nanomaterials, far beyond my own area of expertise, is very exciting. I get to read nanomaterial-related papers grounded on topics such as fundamental physics, engineering, medicine, and other things I couldn’t pretend to know but would love to learn more about. Reading these papers has opened my horizons and somewhat influenced the direction of my research.

We thank Prof. Dr. Valsami-Jones for meeting with us to discuss her current research and her role as Editor-in-Chief. We wish her every success in her research and her work with Nanomaterials.

MDPI will be attending the 2025 Nanomaterials and Devices Innovation and Development Conference, which will take place from 28 to 30 July 2025. The conference will be organized jointly by Beijing University, with enthusiastic support from the Yantai government, ensuring a professional and successful conference.

The 2025 conference is set to experience a comprehensive upgrade. For the first time, it will engage in close collaboration with the Nanomaterials and Devices Branch of the China Materials Research Society. This new iteration of the conference will delve intensively into the domains of nanotechnology and optoelectronic materials. To this end, 14 specialized session venues will be established. These venues will serve as a focal point for assembling the foremost research capabilities from key national laboratories. By bringing together such expertise, the conference aims to expedite the industrial application process of cutting-edge technologies. Moreover, the conference endeavors to establish a platform that facilitates in-depth dialogue among government agencies, industry players, academic institutions, and research entities. Through interdisciplinary integration and technological transformation, it seeks to propel the development of key industry technologies, thereby contributing to the advancement of the broader academic and industrial landscape in these fields.

If you are attending the conference, please visit us at our booth #03, our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Nanomaterials;
• Materials;
• Nanoenergy Advances;
• Analytica;
• Nanomanufacturing;
• Physchem;
• JETA.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hUIZsOi5IicjXljWj0u-9A.

We are pleased to share a selection of papers published in Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991) during 2023 and 2024 by authors affiliated with institutes in the Republic of Korea. The following high-quality manuscripts may be of interest to you:

1. “Recent Studies and Progress in the Intratumoral Administration of Nano-Sized Drug Delivery Systems”
by Wan Su Yun, Jeongrae Kim, Dong-Kwon Lim, Dong-Hwee Kim, Seong Ik Jeon and Kwangmeyung Kim
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(15), 2225; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13152225
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/15/2225

2. “Enhanced Power Generation by Piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE)/rGO Nanocomposite Thin Film”
by Hafiz Muhammad Abid Yaseen and Sangkwon Park
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(5), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13050860
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/5/860

3. “Recent Advances in Two-Dimensional MXene for Supercapacitor Applications: Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives”
by Zambaga Otgonbayar, Sunhye Yang, Ick-Jun Kim and Won-Chun Oh
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(5), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13050919
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/5/919

4. “YCl₃-Substituted CsPbI₃ Perovskite Nanorods for Efficient Red-Light-Emitting Diodes”
by Muhammad Imran Saleem, Amarja Katware, Al Amin, Seo-Hee Jung and Jeong-Hwan Lee
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(8), 1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13081366
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/8/1366

5. “Recent Studies on Metal-Embedded Silica Nanoparticles for Biological Applications”
by Hye-Seong Cho, Mi Suk Noh, Yoon-Hee Kim, Jayoung Namgung, Kwanghee Yoo, Min-Sup Shin, Cho-Hee Yang, Young Jun Kim, Seung-Ju Yu, Hyejin Chang et al.
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(3), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14030268
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/3/268

6. “Free Vibration Analysis of Functionally Graded Porous Cylindrical Panels Reinforced with Graphene Platelets”
by Jin-Rae Cho
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(9), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13091441
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/9/1441

7. “Self-Assembled Monolayer-Based Hole-Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells”
by Doyeong Yeo, Juyeon Shin, Dabit Kim, Jae Yun Jaung and In Hwan Jung
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(2), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14020175
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/2/175

8. “Development of TiO₂–CaCO₃ Based Composites as an Affordable Building Material for the Photocatalytic Abatement of Hazardous NO_x from the Environment”
by Madhan Kuppusamy, Sun-Woo Kim, Kwang-Pill Lee, Young Jin Jo and Wha-Jung Kim
Nanomaterials 2024, 14(2), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14020136
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/14/2/136

9. “Optical Sensing of Toxic Cyanide Anions Using Noble Metal Nanomaterials”
by Ramar Rajamanikandan, Kandasamy Sasikumar, Saikiran Kosame and Heongkyu Ju
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13020290
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/2/290

10. “Solvent-Free Processed Cathode Slurry with Carbon Nanotube Conductors for Li-Ion Batteries”
by Gyori Park, Hyun-Suk Kim and Kyung Jin Lee
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13020324
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/13/2/324

The Outstanding Reviewer Award is given annually in recognition of reviewers who generously contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness in doing so. All winners were chosen by the journal’s award committee.

We spoke with Dr. Daqin Guan, winner of the Nanomaterials 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award, to hear his opinions and about his experiences with scientific research and awards.

Name: Dr. Daqin Guan
Affiliation: Curtin University, Australia
Research interests: nanomaterials; electrocatalysis; energy; material physics

1. Could you give a brief introduction of yourself to the readers? Could you introduce your current research direction and provide an update on your progress?

My name is Daqin Guan, currently a DECRA (Discovery Early Career Research Award) Research Fellow at Curtin University. I have focused on the rational design and development of oxide materials for green hydrogen production via electrochemical reactions during the past 8 years. I have gained rich experience in material structural analysis and operando/ex situ X-ray adsorption spectrum technologies. In the past 5 years, I have authored 20 publications as the first author or the corresponding author in high-profile journals, including 2 in Nature Communications, 3 in Advanced Materials, 1 in Energy & Environmental Science, and 2 in Advanced Functional Materials. I am a regular peer reviewer for over 20 international journals. To date, I have authored 77 publications with over 6200 citations and an h-index of 43 (Google Scholar).

My current research direction is to design and optimize Ru-based oxides for an oxygen evolution reaction in acidic solutions, which is a bottleneck reaction in the promising proton exchange membrane electrolyzer for green hydrogen production.

2. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

a. Scale-up hydrogen-production technologies for industry applications;
b. Carbon capture and conversion;
c. Artificial intelligence and machine learning;
d. Plastic degradation and transformation;
e. Energy storage technologies.

3. What do you think are the main criteria that should be taken seriously in the process of reviewing manuscripts?

a. Pay attention to the formatting, such as abbreviations, misspellings, units, and the quality of the figures;
b. Some reliable references should be added to support the given analysis;
c. When using materials such as catalysts, necessary characterizations of morphology, structure, and electronic structure should be measured and analyzed;
d. Further characterizations of morphology, structure, and electronic structure of materials after catalysis can help demonstrate the underlying catalysis mechanism.

4. What is your opinion of the open access model of publishing?

I strongly support the principles of open access, especially when combined with strong peer review and ethical publishing practices. The important advantages include:

a. Equity in knowledge sharing;
b. Increased accessibility;
c. Greater visibility and impact.

However, the authors should pay the Article Processing Charges, and the reviewers have the duty to control the quality of the manuscripts to improve the quality of the published papers.

We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2025. This program was designed to recognize and honor scholars who have delivered consistently exceptional review reports to our journal.

Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Nanomaterials (ISSN: 2079-4991) recognizes the significant role that our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to the surveys conducted in 2024, 92% of our authors rate the peer review process as good or excellent, thanks to our pool of excellent reviewers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Nanomaterials’ peer review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in April 2024. Each quarter we will select a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Q1
Name: Dr. Aurelio Hierro-Rodriguez
Affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Oviedo, 33007 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: 3D nanomagnetism; nanofabrication; magnetic thin films; X-ray magnetic vector tomography
“I think that the review process is key to maintaining excellence in scientific research. Referees have a great responsibility as they ensure high-quality standards and help to construct a fairer, more honest and transparent scientific system by being critical, constructive, comprehensive and helpful to authors and editors.”

Name: Dr. Maria Luisa Della Rocca
Affiliation: Laboratoire des Matériaux et Phénomènes Quantiques, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, 75013 Paris, France
Interests: thermoelectricity; 2D materials; quantum transport; molecular electronics

Name: Dr. Nelson Filipe Lopes Dias
Affiliation: Institute of Materials Engineering, TU Dortmund University, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
Interests: diamond-like carbon; amorphous carbon; magnetron sputtering; physical vapor deposition; tribology

Q2
Name: Dr. Scott Crawford
Affiliation: National Energy Technology Laboratory, United States Department of Energy, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA
Interests: nanotechnology; photoluminescence; quantum sensing; MOF thin films; rare earths

Name: Dr. Thomas Blaudeck
Affiliation: Research Center for Materials, Architectures and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Interests: thin films and nanotechnology; photonics; materials; polymers; material characterization; nanomaterials; thin film deposition; optoelectronics

Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.

We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health | View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio, University of L’Aquila, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue	sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu, Sichuan University, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication View journal scope | Submit an article