Novel Thin Films for Low-Carbon Technologies: Deposition, Functionalisation, and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Scientific understanding, know-how, and technological advancements in thin-film and coating processes have enabled the rapid development of structural and functional materials. Initiated by the effort to modify the surfaces of structural materials of steel, thin films and coatings have been emerging as a unique scientific discipline in the synthesis of nano- and microscale functional materials that influence our daily activities, from corrosion protection and surface modification, to microelectronics.

In recent decades, thin film and coating technologies have been facing the challenge of actively providing solutions to climate change, decarbonisation, and energy security. Driven by these challenges, novel thin-film materials and coatings have been investigated to reveal their technological potential along with the development of cutting-edge, surface-sensitive, and thin-film analytical tools. As an example, take the development of thin-film photosensitive catalytic materials at the nanoscale to split water into green hydrogen to reduce the carbon emissions from conventional steam reformation processes. Moreover, a breakthrough in ultrathin transparent electrodes for emerging photovoltaic technologies, such as perovskite-based solar cells, has paved the way for more efficient and more affordable sustainable energy sources. On the other hand, photocatalysts or photoelectrochemically active thin films for use in reducing CO₂ or water have gained increasing attention in terms of climate mitigation. And the flexible and printable electronics concept that utilises conductive ink coatings is one of the frontrunner flexible energy-conversion devices. Apart from the synthesis of thin films/coatings, progression in the deposition technique is currently embracing the emergence of artificial intelligence through the concept of combinatorial thin-film material deposition and material digitalisation. This new deposition approach is deliberately targeted to synthesise a multinary and complex thin-film or coating compound library with a fast-track and systematic route as a stepping stone towards materials’ digitalisation and machine learning.

This Special Issue, entitled "Novel Thin Films for Low-Carbon Technologies: Deposition, Functionalisation, and Applications", aims to track and disseminate the current scientific and technological advancements in thin films or coating deposition for low-carbon technologies, spanning from the deposition of transparent electrodes and functional ink coatings, to metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and surface (photo)catalysts. The expected impact of this Special Issue is an accelerated adaptation of novel thin-film materials, deposition techniques, materials’ digitalisation, and analytical methods by the thin film and coatings research community across multidisciplinary fields of expertise.

The scope of this Special Issue will serve as a forum for papers focused on (but not limited to) the following areas:

• Thin film and coating depositions using vacuum-based or solution-based processing techniques (CVD, PVD, electrochemical deposition, sol–gel, spray coating, spin-coating, hydro and solvothermal, etc.).
• Surface functionalisation and interface engineering through post-treatment techniques (plasma treatment, implantation, post-annealing, etc.).
• The surface-sensitive characterisation of thin films and coatings including in situ/operando structural and chemical compositional analyses.
• The nanostructural and microstructural engineering of thin films through deposition techniques and post-treatment techniques.
• Functional applications of thin films and coatings (catalysts, solar-to-fuel, power-to-X, photovoltaics, etc.).
• Combinatorial thin film/coating depositions or analyses towards materials’ digitalisation as a novel method for fast-track material synthesis.

Dr. Rachmat Adhi Wibowo
Dr. Abdurrahman Ali El Yumin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• surface-sensitive characterisation
• thin film depositions
• smart and functional coatings
• surface functionalisation
• interface