Archive for the ‘Materials Advances’ Category

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up

18 Jun 2025

Meet some of the the authors of the runner up paper

Novel chemically reduced cobalt-doped g-C₃N₄ (CoCN-x) as a highly heterogeneous catalyst for the super-degradation of organic dyes via peroxymonosulfate activation

Aboubakr Ben Hamou, Mohamed Enneiymy, Salaheddine Farsad, Asma Amjlef, Ayoub Chaoui, Nisrine Nouj, Ali Majdoub, Amane Jada, Mohamed Ez-zahery and Noureddine El Alem

Aboubakr Ben Hamou is a PhD student, where he is affiliated with the Laboratory of Materials and Environment (LME). The research over his academic background spans the fields of Materials Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry being part of LME, with short stays at BIOSUV group in Spain, IS2M in France, and ALiCE/LSRE-LCM groups in Portugal. He focuses on environmental remediation, in the areas of wastewater treatment, adsorption, and advanced oxidation processes. He is also involved in the synthesis of carbon materials, metal-organic frameworks and composite materials. Additionally, his work includes material characterizations to understand the properties and performance of materials in treating pollutants and environmental sustainability.

Dr. Asma Amjlef holds a PhD from the Laboratory of Materials and Environment. Her research focuses on the development of hybrid composite materials for the removal of organic pollutants from water. She is particularly interested in sustainable water treatment solutions using adsorption techniques and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to enhance purification efficiency and environmental compatibility.

Professor Nisrine Nouj holds a PhD in physical chemistry from the Faculty of Sciences at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir. She is the winner of the 2023 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talent Award. She joined the teaching staff in 2023, where her work focuses on water analysis and quality and the development of innovative treatment methods using environmentally friendly biomaterials. She specializes in the detection of emerging pollutants and the development

Dr. Mohamed Enneiymy is currently working in Laboratory of Organic and Physical Chemistry, Applied Bioorganic Chemistry Team, at Ibnou Zohr University. He holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Haute-Alsace-University of Strasbourg, France. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of bio-based heterogeneous catalysts containing palladium or Pd/M alloy nanoparticles (M = Co, Ni, Au, Ir, etc.) and the evaluation of their catalytic activity in C–C cross-coupling reactions such as Suzuki, Heck, Sonogashira, and Hiyama, as well as in green carbonylation and mild hydrogenation processes. These catalytic systems are developed for the efficient synthesis of intermediates with potential biological activity.

What excites you most about your work right now?

Asma Amjlef: I’m particularly excited about developing multifunctional, bio-based materials that can simultaneously adsorb and degrade pollutants, offering a more sustainable and effective approach to water purification.

Nisrine Nouj: The possibility of combining advanced experimental techniques with artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery of sustainable materials.

What do you think of Materials Advances as a journal for publishing in this field?

Asma Amjlef: Materials Advances offers excellent visibility and a strong multidisciplinary platform for emerging research in materials science. It provides a great opportunity to share innovative work with a wide scientific audience.

Nisrine Nouj: Materials Advances is a dynamic and open-access journal, well-suited for young researchers to publish innovative and interdisciplinary work with good visibility.

Do you have any advice for early-career researchers?

Asma Amjlef: Stay curious, be persistent, and don’t hesitate to explore interdisciplinary approaches. Collaboration and continuous learning are key to impactful and fulfilling research.

Nisrine Nouj: Be curious, ask questions, surround yourself with inspiring mentors, and don’t be afraid to explore topics at the interface of disciplines.

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Materials Advances Paper Prize runner-up

18 Jun 2025

Meet the authors of the runner-up paper

3D printable gelatin/nisin biomaterial inks for antimicrobial tissue engineering applications

Mateo Dallos Ortega, Jenny Aveyard, Alexander Ciupa, Robert J. Poole, David Whetnall, Julia G. Behnsen and Raechelle A. D’Sa

	Mateo Dallos Ortega’s academic path combines acoustic and biomedical engineering, with a focus on health technologies. He earned a BSc in Acoustical Engineering at the University of Southampton, focusing in biomedical signal processing. This led to a postgraduate diploma in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University, focusing on biomaterials and their biological interactions. He then completed an MSc and is now nearing the completion of his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Liverpool, researching material design and evaluation for clinical use. This interdisciplinary training drives his commitment to applied research that improves healthcare and enhances quality of life.

	Jenny Aveyard is a lecturer in Polymer Biomaterials in the Department of Materials, Design and Manufacturing in the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool. She has a degree in Applied Microbiology and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Liverpool. Her interests include the synthesis, functionalisation, and characterisation of nanomaterials for drug delivery and diagnostics applications

	Alexander Ciupa earned his PhD from the University of Bath in 2013, focusing on chalcone derivatives for cancer research and tissue engineering. He then managed teaching and analytical research facilities in the Department of Chemical Engineering until 2017, when he joined the Materials Innovation Factory (MIF). Alex specializes in spectroscopy and chromatography while pursuing his own research interests in the development of simple fluorescent sensors for the detection of toxic metals. He has authored over 13 peer-reviewed papers, including six as sole author.

	Rob Poole is the Harrison Chair of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Liverpool. He has research interests in the areas of rheology, complex fluids and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics encompassing both experimental, theoretical and numerical approaches. He is currently President of the British Society of Rheology and co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluids Mechanics

	David Whetnall is a Senior Research Technician at the Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool. With more than 15 years’ experience in both industry and academia, he specialises in rheology and formulation science, with a focus on using automation for high-throughput formulation and characterisation.

	Julia Behnsen is a technical specialist for X-ray microCT analysis at the University of Liverpool, UK. Her work focuses on supporting a wide range of materials research with experiment design, data collection, and image analysis. Julia has a degree and a PhD in physics from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.

	Raechelle D’Sa is a Professor of Antimicrobial Biomaterials at the University of Liverpool. Her research focuses on engineering advanced biomaterials combined with alternative antimicrobial agents such as nitric oxide and antimicrobial peptides. Through an interdisciplinary approach that brings together materials science, microbiology, and biomedical engineering, her work enables the development of targeted therapies. Raechelle’s group is dedicated to combating antimicrobial resistance and enhancing treatment outcomes in infectious diseases through innovative, biomaterial-based solutions.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

As conventional antibiotics become less effective, there is an urgent need for alternative strategies to target drug-resistant infections. We are proud to be at the forefront of developing innovative, advanced materials-based delivery systems for bioinspired antimicrobials, addressing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

Materials Advances provides an excellent platform for disseminating high-quality interdisciplinary research with real-world impact. It has a strong track record in both fundamental and applied studies making it an ideal venue for research at the interface of materials science and healthcare.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice for early career scientists?

Stay curious and don’t be afraid to explore outside your comfort zone. Interdisciplinary work often leads to the most exciting breakthroughs.

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Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize winner

17 Jun 2025

Meet the authors of the winning paper

Control of spin on ferromagnetism and thermoelectric properties of K₂GeMnX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) halide perovskites: emerging candidates for semiconductor spintronics and thermoelectric applications

Mudasir Younis Sofi, Mohd. Shahid Khan and M. Ajmal Khan

Mudasir Younis Sofi is a Ph.D. scholar and Prime Minister’s Research Fellow (PMRF, Cycle 9) in the Department of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He holds an M.Phil. in Physics with Rank 2 from Jiwaji University. His research focuses on perovskite-based materials for spintronic, thermoelectric, and optoelectronic applications using density functional theory (DFT). He has authored over eight first-author SCI-indexed papers, three Scopus-indexed book chapters, and presented at nearly ten international conferences, earning several Best Presentation Awards. As a Teaching Assistant at DSEU, he mentors students and advocates for sustainable electronic materials, reflecting his academic excellence and impact.

Professor Mohammad Shahid Khan is a Professor of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has 18 years of postgraduate teaching and 20 years of research experience and published 120+ papers in peer reviewed journals. He has supervised many PhD and Master students. His work spans nanostructured and nonlinear-optical materials, computational molecular science, photonic materials, optical spectroscopy, and clean-energy generation and storage. Beyond research, he has served university at administrative positions.

Dr. Mohammad Ajmal Khan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has over 19 years of teaching and research experience. His research focuses on condensed matter, optoelectronic materials, and computational modelling of materials. He has published over 70 research papers in peer reviewed reputed journals and actively supervises Ph.D. and postgraduate students. Dr. Khan also carried out many major research projects successfully. His recent work on energy-efficient and functional materials supports advancements in nanoelectronics, thermoelectrics, and next-generation semiconductor technologies.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

We are particularly excited about advancing the development of lead-free, environmentally sustainable double halide perovskites for multifunctional applications in spintronics, thermoelectrics, and energy conversion. Leveraging advanced density functional theory (DFT) and post-DFT approaches, we aim to design materials with precisely tailored properties—combining fundamental scientific insight with strong potential for real-world technological impact.

How do you feel about Materials Advances as a place to publish research on this topic?

Materials Advances is an excellent platform for publishing interdisciplinary and forward-looking materials science research. Its global reach, rigorous peer-review process, and commitment to emerging technologies make it an ideal venue for impactful work in perovskite-based materials.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice for early career scientists?

Stay curious, collaborative, and consistent. Build a strong foundation in theory, actively share your work, and seek feedback. Many opportunities emerge through openness, persistence, and genuine scientific engagement.

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Announcing the 2025 Materials Advances Paper Prize winners!

17 Jun 2025

We are delighted to announce this year’s annual Materials Advances Paper Prize, celebrating the most significant articles published in the journal in the previous calendar year!

This year we recognise four outstanding papers that were published in 2024. Find the winner and runner-up papers below.

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize Winner:

Control of spin on ferromagnetism and thermoelectric properties of K₂GeMnX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) halide perovskites: emerging candidates for semiconductor spintronics and thermoelectric applications

Mudasir Younis Sofi, Mohd Shahid Khan and M. Ajmal Khan

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

Novel chemically reduced cobalt-doped g-C₃N₄ (CoCN-x) as a highly heterogeneous catalyst for the super-degradation of organic dyes via peroxymonosulfate activation

Aboubakr Ben Hamou, Mohamed Enneiymy, Salaheddine Farsad, Asma Amjlef, Ayoub Chaoui, Nisrine Nouj, Ali Majdoub, Amane Jada, Mohamed Ez-zahery and Noureddine El Alem

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

3D printable gelatin/nisin biomaterial inks for antimicrobial tissue engineering applications

Mateo Dallos Ortega, Jenny Aveyard, Alexander Ciupa, Robert J. Poole, David Whetnall, Julia G. Behnsen and Raechelle A. D’Sa

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

Coherent X-ray imaging of stochastic dynamics

Arnab Sarkar and Allan S. Johnson

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Call for papers: sustainable catalysis

21 May 2025

We are delighted to announce an open call for papers to our new themed collection focusing on sustainable catalysis!

Guest Editors: Prof. Mario J. Muñoz-Batista (University of Granada, Spain), Prof. Bo Weng (Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. Choe Earn Choong (Kwangwoon University, South Korea), Prof. Asim Bhaumik (School of Materials Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, India), Prof. Damien Debecker (University of Louvain, Belgium)

You are welcome to submit an article within the scope before 28 November 2025

Both Journal of Materials Chemistry A and Materials Advances are happy to receive contributions to this collection.

If you are interested in contributing to this collection, please get in touch with the Editorial Office by email.

Sustainable catalysis can be defined as a multidisciplinary approach that integrates environmental, economic, and social factors to develop catalytic processes that are viable over the long term. This field focuses on creating and utilizing catalysts that enhance the efficiency and selectivity of chemical reactions while minimizing environmental impact and promoting resource conservation. Key aspects include the development of materials using environmentally friendly synthesis techniques or waste-derived materials, transforming waste into valuable resources, and addressing critical environmental challenges. Additionally, sustainable catalysis emphasizes the synergistic use of energy, optimizing processes to reduce energy consumption and enhance overall efficiency.

This includes, but is not limited to, the use of electro-catalytic, photo-catalytic, piezoelectric, sonocatalytic, mechanochemical, and enzymatic catalysis schemes, as well as combinations of these energy forms to achieve synergistic effects. In this collection, we welcome perspectives, review articles and full papers on any of these topics.

There are no costs associated with publishing in Journal of Materials Chemistry A, unless you wish to publish your work open access. Get in touch if you would like more information.

Publishing open access with RSC journals unlocks the full potential of your research – bringing increased visibility, wider readership and higher citation potential to your work. As a not-for-profit organisation serving the chemical sciences community, we ensure that our article processing charge (APC) remains the most competitive of major publishers. More details can be found here and the APC for Materials Advances is £2100. You can also use our journal finder tool to check if your institution currently has an agreement with the RSC that may entitle you to a discount of the APC.

Get to know the Guest Editors

	Prof. Mario J. Muñoz-Batista University of Granada, Spain https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1419-0592 Mario J. Muñoz-Batista is a Professor at the University of Granada. He obtained his PhD in Applied Chemistry from the Autonomous University of Madrid – Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry (CSIC). His research expertise lies in the development of innovative methods for material preparation and the mathematical modelling of energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable chemical processes. His work spans a broad range of applications, from effluent treatment to novel pathways for chemical production, fuel generation, and the development of emerging energy vectors, with a strong emphasis on catalytic processes and waste valorization. He has authored more than 110 SCI-indexed articles (h-index = 37), holds two patents, and has contributed to several books and book chapters. He also serves in editorial roles for various leading journals in his field.
	Prof. Bo Weng Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8337-219X Dr. Bo Weng is currently a professor at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Fuzhou University, China, in 2018. Following his doctorate, he pursued postdoctoral research at Xiamen University and KU Leuven, supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (Individual Fellowships) and the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) Postdoctoral Fellowships. His research primarily focuses on photocatalysis and photo-assisted AOPs for environmental remediation. He has published 84 papers, achieving an h-index of 38 and 5556 citation (Google Scholar). As the first author or corresponding author, I have published 46 papers including *Nature Review Clean Technology,* *Nature Communications, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition (x3), Advanced Materials, Advanced Energy Materials, Chem* et al. I am invited to serve as the Editorial Board Member of NPJ Clean Water (JCR Q1 IF 10.4), Scientific Reports (JCR Q1 IF3.8), Carbon Energy (JCR Q1 IF 19.5), Next-generation advisors of Chem (JCR Q1 IF 19.1), Youth Editorial Board Member of Chinese Chemical Letters (JCR Q1 IF 9.4), EcoMat (JCR Q1 IF 10.4), EcoEnergy, and Guest editor of Chem, Advanced Functional Materials, Carbon Energy, ChemSusChem, RSC Materials Advances et al.
	Prof. Choe Earn Choong Kwangwoon University, South Korea https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3921-778X Choe Earn Choong is a Research Professor in the Environmental Engineering Department Kwangwoon University, South Korea. In 2018, she received the Ph.D in Environmental Engineering from the University Malaya, Malaysia. Her research interests in developing nanomaterials include advanced oxidation catalysts, plasma catalysts, and adsorbents for water and wastewater treatment. She has published more than 50 scientific papers and was granted 10 patents in the nanomaterial’s development for water treatment. In addition, she is one of the editors for Separation and Purification Technology and Journal of Water Process Engineering.
	Prof. Asim Bhaumik School of Materials Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4907-7418 Prof. Asim Bhaumik received his PhD in Chemistry in 1997 from National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. Then he was JSPS Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Tokyo during 1997-1999. After that he moved to Toyota Central R & D Labs Nagoya, Japan during 1999-2001 as Associate Researcher. Then he joined Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, India where he is currently a Senior Professor. His area of research interest includes designing novel microporous and mesoporous materials for several frontline applications like gas storage (H₂/CO₂), adsorptive removal of heavy metal ions and other pollutants from contaminated water, heterogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of fine chemicals, CO₂ utilization reactions for the synthesis of fuels and chemicals, CO₂ reduction, synthesis of biofuels, electrochemical water splitting and CO₂ photoreduction. He has published over 530 original research articles with citations over 28500. He is in the Associate Editor of Green Chemistry and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
	Prof. Damien Debecker University of Louvain, Belgium https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6500-2996 Damien Debecker and his team develop innovative catalytic materials for sustainable chemistry applications. They target three main objectives: (i) the upgrading of biomass and bio-based platform chemicals (glycerol, lignocellulose and lignin-derived monomers, ethanol, short carboxylic acids, triglycerides, sugars, etc.) to valuable molecules, (ii) the capture of CO2 and its conversion, and (iii) greener organic synthesis processes using enzymes, hybrid catalysis approaches and process integration. To do so, they implement ad-hoc strategies to immobilize enzymes into/onto catalytically active solid materials. Another important line of research of the Debecker lab is the utilization of (reactive) spray drying techniques to manufacture original catalytic materials.

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Congratulations to the winners at Chem4Energy

13 May 2025

Congratulations to the winners of the prizes at the Chem4Energy 2025 conference sponsored by Materials Horizons; Journal of Materials Chemistry A, B and C; and Materials Advances.

Poster winner

Rotondwa Mphephu, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Poster Title: Ruthenium complexes of pyrazolyl-pyridine complexes as catalyst precursors for formic acid dehydrogenation

My name is Rotondwa Mphephu, a third-year PhD student in Chemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). My research focuses on the dehydrogenation of formic acid mediated by pyrazolyl-pyridine ruthenium(II) complexes, contributing to the development of sustainable hydrogen storage systems. I was awarded the Poster Prize at the Chem4Energy Conference, held in Namibia from 7 April to 10 May 2025, in recognition of my innovative work in the field of catalysis and energy research.

Oral winners

Dina Thole, University of Limpopo, South Africa

Oral Presentation Title: Metal-organic framework modified carbon nanotubes for hydrogen production from formic acid

Dina Thole obtained her M.Sc. in chemistry from the University of Limpopo, South Africa, in 2022. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the same university. Her research interests focus on metal-organic framework/metal oxide for hydrogen production with carbon dioxide capture and conversion. She has presented part of her Ph.D. research work at various local and international conferences. Recently, she received an award of the Best oral Presenter at the Chem4Energy 2025 conference at Protea hotel, Walvis Bay, Namibia. This award is sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Hilaria Hakwenye, University of Namibia, Namibia

Oral Presentation Title: Chicken eggshells as heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production from E.spicatum seeds oil

Hilaria Hakwenye is a Senior Technologist in the Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Science Department at the University of Namibia and a PhD student in the same department. Hilaria is a Master’s Degree holder in Analytical Chemistry with research interests in environmental science and sustainable energy. Her current research is focused on producing biodiesel from non-edible seed oil using CaO derived from eggshell waste. The study aims to address two crucial environmental issues: the excessive use of fossil resources and pollution by using eggshells as a source of CaCO₃/CaO. In addition, using non-edible oil as feedstock for biodiesel production will minimize the impact of edible oil usage as feedstock on the food system. Hilaria’s PhD work is under the supervision of Prof. Rahman Ateeq and Prof. Veikko Uahengo, both from the same department.

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Call for papers: Organic transistors and related devices

13 May 2025

We are delighted to announce an open call for papers to our new themed collection in Materials Advances focusing on organic transistors!

Guest Editors: Professor Tsuyoshi Michinobu (Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan), Professor Prashant Sonar (Queensland University of Technology, Australia), Dr. Waner He (Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan)

You are welcome to submit an article within the scope before 30 November 2025

If you are interested in contributing to this collection, please get in touch with the Editorial Office by email.

The Guest Editors aim to highlight recent advances in organic transistors and related devices, with a particular focus on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), and organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs). The collection will explore technological and material innovations that are propelling the development of high-performance, flexible, wearable, and environmentally sustainable electronics. Topics of interest include molecular design strategies, materials synthesis, charge transport, and device engineering. The collection also welcomes contributions on emerging applications such as sensing, logic circuits, neuromorphic computing, and biomedical diagnostics. By bridging material innovation with device performance, this issue aims to accelerate the practical implementation of next-generation organic electronics and foster interdisciplinary collaboration across physics, chemistry, and materials science.

We are happy to consider both review articles and primary research work.

Publishing open access with RSC journals unlocks the full potential of your research – bringing increased visibility, wider readership and higher citation potential to your work. As a not-for-profit organisation serving the chemical sciences community, we ensure that our article processing charge (APC) remains the most competitive of major publishers. More details can be found here and the APC for Materials Advances is £2100. You can also use our journal finder tool to check if your institution currently has an agreement with the RSC that may entitle you to a discount of the APC.

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Emerging Thermoelectric Materials

13 May 2025

Read the new collection in Materials Advances

We are delighted to introduce our new themed collection focusing on Emerging Thermoelectric Materials.

Guest Edited by Krishna Nama Manjunatha & Shashi Paul (Emerging Technologies Research Centre, De Montfort University, UK), Satyajit Sahu, (IIT Jodhpur, India) and Mona Zebarjadi (University of Virginia, USA)

A small selection of the papers are featured below:

	First-principles modelling of the thermoelectric properties of n-type CaTiO₃, SrTiO₃ and BaTiO₃ Alveena Z. Khan, Joseph M. Flitcroft & Jonathan M. Skelton Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 652-664
	Thermally-induced charge carrier population control on graphene nanoribbons Tiago de Sousa Araújo Cassiano, Geraldo Magela e Silva & Pedro Henrique de Oliveira Neto Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 4668-4678
	Thermoelectric signature of d-orbitals in tripod-based molecular junctions Oday A. Al-Owaedi, Hussein Neama Najeeb, Ahmed Kareem Obaid Aldulaimi, Nathera Hussin Alwan, Mohammed Shnain Ali, Majed H. Dwech & Muneer A. AL-Da’amy Mater. Adv., 2024,5, 9781-9791

We hope you enjoy reading the full themed collection here.

Did you know?

At Materials Advances, our themed collections are built by collaboration between our Guest Editors and expert Associate Editors. Our Guest Editors guide the scope and curate the contributions in our collections but all submissions are handled through peer review by our team of resident Associate Editors. This means that as an author you receive a consistent experience, and as a reader you can trust the quality of the science being presented.

If you have an idea for a topical collection in your research field, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch here.

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Open call for papers: Supramolecular Peptide and Protein Systems

07 May 2025

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a new themed collection on Supramolecular Peptide & Protein Systems: from Design to Applications to be published in Materials Advances by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Promotional slide of 'Supramolecular Peptide & Protein Systems' Materials Advances themed collection with photos of Guest Editors and submission deadline (30 Nov 2025).

Materials Advances publishes quality research across the breadth of materials science. The journal is indexed in all major indexes, with an impact factor of 5.2 (2023 Journal Citation Reports, Clarivate Analytics).

We invite a broad range of submissions, including original research articles, reviews, and perspectives. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

Rational design strategies for supramolecular peptide/protein systems using computational tools to predict and guide assembly behavior.
Characterization methods for studying self-assembly, stability, and molecular interactions.
Therapeutic applications such as peptide-based drug delivery systems, immunotherapies, and protein mimetics.
Materials science applications include biomaterials, tissue engineering scaffolds, and sensors.
Nanotechnology, including peptide/protein-based nanomaterials, molecular machines, and nanoelectronics.
Diagnostic applications involving biosensors, diagnostic agents, and biomolecule detection.
Sustainability, with an emphasis on biodegradable materials and bio-based production methods.

Submit before 30th November 2025.

If you are interested in contributing to this collection, please get in touch with the Editorial Office.

Publishing open access with RSC journals unlocks the full potential of your research – bringing increased visibility, wider readership and higher citation potential to your work. As a not-for-profit organisation serving the chemical sciences community, we ensure that our article processing charge (APC) remains the most competitive of major publishers. More details can be found here and the standard APC for Materials Advances is £2,100 (+local taxes if applicable). There is a 15% RSC member and RSC open access agreement discount available (applicable to full price only). You can also use our journal finder tool to check if your institution currently has an agreement with the RSC that may entitle you to a discount of the APC.

This themed collection is Guest Edited by:

Dr Daniela Kalafatovic (University of Rijeka)

ORCID: 0000-0002-9685-1162

Dr Ana M. Garcia (University of Castilla La Mancha)

ORCID: 0000-0003-0482-849X

Dr Veronica Dodero (Bielefeld University)

ORCID: 0000-0001-7937-1880

Dr Ivan R. Sasselli (Materials Physics Center (CFM/MPC), CSIC-UPV/EHU)

ORCID: 0000-0001-6062-2440

Dr Jacek Wychowaniec (AO Research Institute Davos)

ORCID: 0000-0002-6597-5242

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Meet Ioana M. Ilie: New Principal Investigator

10 Apr 2025

We are delighted to introduce the next contribution to our New Principal Investigators collection.

Read the paper

Computational design of Bax-inhibiting peptides

Tom Vlaar, Bernadette Mayer, Lars van der Heide and Ioana M. Ilie

We have developed an innovative computational pipeline for peptide design, integrating rational design principles with advanced computer simulations to develop and optimize peptide binders prior experimental validation. Our approach focuses on designing high-affinity cyclic peptides that selectively bind to Bax, a key pro-apoptotic protein also implicated in neuronal cell survival, hence linked to Parkinson’s disease. This work contributes to a broader vision: creating a machine learning-driven platform that seamlessly integrates multiscale computational modeling and experimental data to accelerate the discovery of peptide-based binders.

Meet the Principal Investigator

You recently started your own group – what are the big research question(s) that your group will be focusing on?

Our work sits at the intersection of physics and chemistry, combining principles from both disciplines to develop advanced computational tools for biomolecular understanding and engineering. By integrating the fundamental laws of physics with the complexities of chemical interactions, we gain a deeper understanding of biological systems and design innovative solutions for biomedical and technological challenges. In essence, my lab develops the computational tools to engineer biomolecular systems across various scales, from nano- to macro. In this context, in the coming years, we will focus on learning from biological systems and their behavior in complex biological environments to engineer bioinspired modulators, including peptide-based therapeutics, with targeted applications in neurodegenerative and cancer-related diseases. Additionally, we will capitalize on this to develop intelligent (bio)materials with brain-like properties, i.e., tunable, responsive and adaptable, paving the way for breakthroughs in advanced biomedical and technological applications.

What inspired you to get into science?

I got into science to make a difference and contribute to the wellbeing of our society.

What advice would you give to those who are seeking their first group leader position?

Be patient and persistent.

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Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

Archive for the ‘Materials Advances’ Category

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up

Meet some of the the authors of the runner up paper

Materials Advances Paper Prize runner-up

Meet the authors of the runner-up paper

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize winner

Meet the authors of the winning paper

Announcing the 2025 Materials Advances Paper Prize winners!

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize Winner:

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

Materials Advances 2025 Paper Prize runner-up:

Call for papers: sustainable catalysis

If you are interested in contributing to this collection, please get in touch with the Editorial Office by email.

Get to know the Guest Editors

Congratulations to the winners at Chem4Energy

Call for papers: Organic transistors and related devices

Emerging Thermoelectric Materials

Read the new collection in Materials Advances

Did you know?

Open call for papers: Supramolecular Peptide and Protein Systems

Meet Ioana M. Ilie: New Principal Investigator

Read the paper

Meet the Principal Investigator

You recently started your own group – what are the big research question(s) that your group will be focusing on?

What inspired you to get into science?

What advice would you give to those who are seeking their first group leader position?

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