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Nanostructured Materials for Sensing and Beyond: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications
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Nanostructured Materials for Sensing and Beyond: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensor Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 685

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ashutosh Tiwari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Interests: nanostructured materials; biosensors; electronic materials; magnetic materials; thin films; spintronics; nanotechnology; magnetism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

  • The field of nanostructured materials continues to revolutionize sensor technologies by enabling devices with unprecedented sensitivity, selectivity, and multifunctionality. Advances in synthesis, characterization, and modeling now make it possible to design materials with tailored structures and tunable electronic, optical, magnetic, and catalytic properties. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent developments in nanostructured materials and their integration into sensors for chemical, biological, environmental, and physical detection, as well as emerging applications beyond sensing—such as energy storage, catalysis, and flexible electronics.
  • We invite contributions covering both fundamental and applied aspects, including novel synthesis routes, nanoscale characterization, device fabrication, theoretical modeling, and artificial-intelligence-driven sensor design. The issue will serve as a platform to connect researchers from diverse disciplines—materials science, physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering—focusing on how nanoscale design principles are shaping the future of sensing technologies.

Fit with the scope of Sensors:

This Special Issue aligns closely with Sensors by addressing the development and application of advanced nanomaterials for next-generation sensing systems. It emphasizes the fundamental material–device relationships that underpin sensor performance and extends the discussion toward multifunctional nanostructures for integrated sensing and smart systems.

Prof. Dr. Ashutosh Tiwari
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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors 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

  • nanostructured materials
  • nanosensors
  • thin films
  • functional oxides
  • spintronics
  • flexible and wearable sensors
  • photonic and plasmonic sensors
  • high-entropy materials
  • energy and environmental sensing
  • AI-driven material design

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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13 pages, 3016 KB  
Article
Scalable Self-Sensing Mechanical Metamaterials by Conformal Coating of 3D-Printed Lattices with Nanocomposites
by Dawn K. D. Veditz, Emma R. Merriman, Sofia Z. Anissian and Long Wang
Sensors 2026, 26(5), 1670; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26051670 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 464
Abstract
Metamaterials possess unique and desirable multiphysical behaviors derived from deliberately arranging conventional materials into designed structural topologies. Multifunctional mechanical metamaterials that can both carry load and provide in situ state awareness are increasingly needed for applications such as structural health monitoring and soft [...] Read more.
Metamaterials possess unique and desirable multiphysical behaviors derived from deliberately arranging conventional materials into designed structural topologies. Multifunctional mechanical metamaterials that can both carry load and provide in situ state awareness are increasingly needed for applications such as structural health monitoring and soft robotic systems. To address the demand for multifunctional metamaterials, this study reports a scalable fabrication strategy for self-sensing lattice metamaterials by conformally dip-coating 3D-printed flexible cells with a carbon nanotube (CNT)–styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS) nanocomposite. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the coating conforms closely to the printed struts with well-dispersed CNT networks. The electromechanical behavior of coated Octet, Kelvin, and auxetic unit cells was characterized under quasi-static cyclic uniaxial compression (0–40% strain). All the coated structures exhibited highly stable, reversible, and repeatable piezoresistive response, with a near-linear relationship between resistance change and strain. Among the tested geometries, the auxetic unit cell achieved the highest strain sensitivity that was approximately four times that of the Octet cell and six times that of the Kelvin cell. To evaluate scalability, auxetic lattices containing eight scaled auxetic unit cells were shown to retain high sensitivity and remained statistically similar to the unit cell. This study demonstrates that the strain sensing performance of nanocomposites can be engineered through lattice topology using a simple dip-coating functionalization approach, enabling scalable self-sensing metamaterials for large-scale and conformal sensing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Sensing and Beyond: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications)
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17 pages, 1220 KB  
Perspective
Toward Intelligent Sensing Systems: Non-Equilibrium Materials as Platforms for AI-Enabled Autonomous Discovery
by Ashutosh Tiwari, Gitanjali Mishra and Jagdish Narayan
Sensors 2026, 26(10), 3036; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26103036 - 12 May 2026
Abstract
Conventional sensing systems rely on sequential architectures in which signal acquisition, processing, and decision-making are physically and functionally separated. This paradigm imposes limitations in latency, energy efficiency, and adaptability, particularly in data-intensive and dynamic environments. In this perspective, we discuss an emerging framework [...] Read more.
Conventional sensing systems rely on sequential architectures in which signal acquisition, processing, and decision-making are physically and functionally separated. This paradigm imposes limitations in latency, energy efficiency, and adaptability, particularly in data-intensive and dynamic environments. In this perspective, we discuss an emerging framework for intelligent sensing systems in which these functions are increasingly integrated through the intrinsic properties of functional materials. Non-equilibrium materials exhibit nonlinearity, memory, temporal dynamics, and adaptive responses that enable in-sensor information transformation. When coupled with artificial intelligence, these material capabilities support sensing platforms capable of encoding, processing, and interpreting information at or near the point of measurement. We examine key material platforms, architectural strategies, and opportunities for closed-loop autonomous discovery, while also highlighting challenges related to variability, scalability, and system integration. This convergence of materials science and intelligent systems points toward sensing technologies that move beyond passive measurement toward adaptive, low-latency, and energy-efficient operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Materials for Sensing and Beyond: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications)
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