The synthesis and functionalization, including encapsulation, chemical passivation, and surface treatments, are fundamental approaches to creating new materials with tailored properties. These topics covered as effective solutions for surface and interface engineering have developed tremendously over the last several decades. For reasons of necessity due to the global environmental and energy sustainability conditions that represent emerging threats to human health. A new frontier in advanced design strategies to improve the performance of materials is facing a relentless search for sustainable and eco-friendly processing methods, preferably cost-feasible and ultra-fast direct growth. Addressing these challenges is critical for advancing the field, especially in sub-areas like energy storage, catalysis, sensors, and drug delivery, where precise control over material properties can lead to significant technological breakthroughs.
Affiliated to Surface and Interface Engineering Section for Frontiers in Chemical Engineering, this Research Topic is to showcase recent advances in sustainable and eco-friendly synthesis and functionalization methods that enable precise control of surface and interface properties in degradation-resistant nanomaterials (e.g. thin films, nanoparticles and nanostructures). These strategies are crucial for enhancing material stability, durability, and multifunctionality, especially under demanding operational environments found in energy, environmental and biological applications. The collection aims to highlight eco-friendly and cost-effective fabrication methods, such as sol-gel processes, vapor-phase treatments, self-assembly, and biofunctionalization. It also emphasizes the integration of novel materials—such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), conducting polymers, biopolymers, and nanocomposites—that can offer superior performance through tailored interfacial chemistry.
This Research Topic focuses on the development and application of sustainable strategies for the synthesis, passivation, and functionalization of advanced materials and bio-nano systems—particularly thin films and nanostructures designed for interface and chemical stability control. Emphasis is placed on eco-friendly and bio-inspired approaches for tailoring surfaces and interfaces that are critical in energy storage and conversion devices, environmental remediation technologies, and biological interfaces.
We invite contributions that explore: green chemical methods, physical and biological processes, and innovative nanostructuring techniques aimed at optimizing interfacial properties. Topics may include but are not limited to:
• Sol-gel coatings • Organic/Inorganic hybrid films • Biofunctionalized layers • Self-assembled monolayers • Smart surface treatments for improved mechanical, chemical, and electrochemical stability.
Applications of interest range across batteries and fuel cells, hydrogen systems, water purification, antifouling and antimicrobial surfaces, and implantable devices. This Research Topic encourages multidisciplinary approaches and contributions from materials science, surface chemistry, nanotechnology, and bioengineering.
We welcome submissions in the form of Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, and Perspectives, especially those that bridge fundamental mechanisms and practical applications.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
