Symmetry/Asymmetry in Nanomaterials: Advances and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Symmetry and controlled asymmetry are central to tailoring structure–property relationships in nanomaterials. In self-organized systems, purposeful symmetry breaking—through patterning, compositional gradients, or nanoscale curvature—creates anisotropies that strongly affect ionic and electronic transport, photonic and plasmonic modes, magnetic behavior, mechanical response, and interfacial chemistry. Symmetry/asymmetry principles define optical activity in nanostructures, catalytic selectivity in heterogeneous interfaces, and directional thermal or mass transport; intentional symmetry disruption thus enables emergent functionalities and application-driven advances in nanomaterials.

This Special Issue, titled “Symmetry/Asymmetry in Nanomaterials: Advances and Applications”, invites original research, rapid communications, and authoritative reviews that advance fundamental understanding and technological translation of symmetry-engineered and asymmetry-driven nanostructures. We welcome studies integrating scalable synthesis, self-organization, in situ/operando characterization, advanced simulation, and application-level demonstrations. Contributions that elucidate symmetry principles, intentionally disrupt symmetry to impact transport properties, optical and magnetic responses, catalytic mechanisms, and energy conversion/storage processes, and address the integration of these applications are particularly encouraged. Articles that link fundamental symmetry concepts with practical applications—photonics, sensing, nanoelectronics, electrochemistry, catalytic systems, metamaterials, and energy technologies—are especially welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yuliy Yuferov
Dr. Konstantin Borodianskiy
Guest Editors

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. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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.