Materials Science &Engineering R: Reports publishes the full spectrum of materials science and engineering. The journal aims to provide a high level of novelty and quality publishing both experimental and theoretical, providing general background information as well as a critical assessment on topics in a state of flux, providing a critical overview of the current issues in a well-defined area of immediate interest to materials scientists.

The journal publishes original research papers and reviews. The journal will be launching a number of Special Issues on key themes in the Materials Sciences field: such as Energy Materials; Materials for Health; Materials Discovery; Innovation for High Value Manufacturing; and Sustainable Materials development. Please note that in keeping with the very high standard of papers in the Journal, suggested manuscripts need to display a high level of novelty and quality to be considered for submission.

Special Issue on Battery Technology and Developments
Submission Date: 2025-09-30

The scope of the Special Issue encompasses various facets of lithium-ion and next-generation battery technology, spanning from advancements in electrodes, electrolytes, separators, and binders, to analyses of failure mechanisms and safety evaluations.

Guest editors:

Prof. Jun Ming
Chang Chun Institute of Applied Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Email: jun.ming@ciac.ac.cn

Prof. Yan Lu
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Germany 

Prof. Linqin Mu
Arizona State University, United States

Prof. Jang-Yeon Hwang
Hanyang University, Korea

Special issue information:

Since the commercialization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by Sony Inc. in 1991, there has been a significant impact on daily life, promoting societal and technological development. It represents a remarkable achievement resulting from the collective efforts of scientists across various fields. However, continual improvement in energy density, safety, and adaptability of LIBs is imperative, alongside the development of next-generation batteries using reliable technologies to meet the growing energy market demands.

This special issue aims to summarize the advancements in battery technologies, focusing primarily on LIBs. Topics covered include progress in electrodes, electrolytes, separators, and binders, as well as comprehensive analyses of failure mechanisms and safety evaluations in conventional lithium-ion batteries. Furthermore, the issue explores recent breakthroughs in these areas and extends to the forefront of research in next-generation battery technologies, such as lithium metal batteries, sodium-ion batteries, potassium-ion batteries, metal-sulfur batteries, metal-air batteries, among others. The goal is to provide a detailed and professional overview of battery technologies across different components and systems, contributing to the advancement of battery technology. 

Manuscript submission information:

Submission Close Date: September 30, 2025

This special issue welcomes Review Article submissions. 

Authors can submit at any time before the submission deadline. For any inquiries about the appropriateness of contribution topics, please contact the guest editors. 

The journal’s submission platform (Editorial Manager®) will be available for receiving submissions to this Special Issue soon. Please refer to the Guide for Authors to prepare your manuscript, and select the article type “VSI: Battery Technology” when submitting your manuscript online. Both the Guide for Authors and the submission site can be found on the Journal Homepage.  

All the submissions deemed suitable to be reviewed in accordance with journal standards. Upon its editorial acceptance, your article will go into production immediately. It will be published in the latest regular issue, while being presented on the specific Special Issue webpage simultaneously. In regular issues, Special Issue articles will be clearly marked and branded.

Keywords:

Lithium-ion battery technologies; Electrode; Electrolyte; Failure analysis and safety evaluation; Next-generation battery system

Special Issue on Stimuli-responsive materials: Design, manufacturing, and application
Submission Date: 2025-12-31

This special issue covers topics pertaining to the material development, modelling and simulation, structural design, manufacturing methods, and applications of SRMs. 

Guest editors:

Professor Kun Zhou, Ph.D.
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Email: kzhou@ntu.edu.sg
Areas of Expertise: Mechanics of materials, Computational mechanics, Additive manufacturing, Functional materials science

Professor Yu Su, Ph.D.
School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.Email: adamyusu@bit.edu.cn
Areas of Expertise: Mechanics of smart materials and structures, Composite mechanics, Computational mechanics 

Special issue information:

Stimuli-responsive materials (SRMs) encompass a diverse range of materials, e.g., polymers, metals, and ceramics, capable of reacting to various external stimuli such as pH, light, humidity, temperature, magnetic fields, or electricity. In response to these stimuli, these materials undergo changes in shapes, properties, and functionalities. SRMs have garnered intense research interest owing to their significant potential in healthcare, aerospace, construction, energy, and intelligent robotics. This special issue covers topics pertaining to the material development, modelling and simulation, structural design, manufacturing methods, and applications of SRMs. It aims to contribute to the scientific understanding of working mechanisms in SRMs while simultaneously expanding their engineering applications. Original works and review papers are highly welcomed.

Manuscript submission information:

Submission Close Date: Dec 31, 2025

This special issue only considers invited manuscripts, if you wish to contribute your article to the special issue, please contact the guest editors first. Their contact information is listed above. 

The journal’s submission platform (Editorial Manager®) will be available for receiving invited submissions to this Special Issue soon. Please refer to the Guide for Authors to prepare your manuscript, and select the article type “VSI: Stimuli-responsive material” when submitting your manuscript online. Both the Guide for Authors and the submission site can be found on the Journal Homepage.  

All the submissions deemed suitable to be reviewed in accordance with journal standards. Upon its editorial acceptance, your article will go into production immediately. It will be published in the latest regular issue while being presented on the specific Special Issue webpage simultaneously. In regular issues, Special Issue articles will be clearly marked and branded.

Keywords:

    Stimuli-responsive materials
    Material development
    Design and optimization
    Manufacturing method
    Process-structure-property relationship