Journal Guides5 min readUpdated May 16, 2026

Advanced Functional Materials 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision

If your Advanced Functional Materials submission shows Under Review, here is what each status means, how long each stage typically takes, and when to follow up.

Author contextSenior Researcher, Chemistry. Experience with JACS, Angewandte Chemie, ACS Nano.View profile

What to do next

Already submitted to Advanced Functional Materials? Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next step.

The useful next step is understanding what the status usually means at Advanced Functional Materials, how long the wait normally runs, and when a follow-up is actually reasonable.

See The Next StepAnthropic Privacy Partner. Zero-retention manuscript processing.Run Free Readiness ScanOr check your bibliography for retracted citations
Timeline context

Advanced Functional Materials review timeline: what the data shows

Time to first decision is the most actionable number. What happens after varies by manuscript and reviewer availability.

Full journal profile
Time to decision~21 dayFirst decision
Acceptance rate~12-18%Overall selectivity
Impact factor19.0Clarivate JCR
Open access APC~$5,200 USDGold OA option

What shapes the timeline

  • Desk decisions are fast. Scope problems surface within days.
  • Reviewer availability is the main variable after triage. Specialized topics take longer to assign.
  • Revision rounds reset the clock. Major revision typically adds 6-12 weeks per round.

What to do while waiting

  • Track status in the submission portal — status changes signal active review.
  • Wait at least the journal's stated median before sending a status inquiry.
  • Prepare revision materials in parallel if you expect a revise-and-resubmit decision.

_Last reviewed: 2026-05-16._

Quick answer: If your Advanced Functional Materials (AFM) manuscript shows "Under Review," elapsed time is the reliable signal. Advanced Functional Materials has a 2024 JCR impact factor of 19.0, accepts about 20 percent of submissions, and reports a median first-decision time of 5 to 8 weeks. If still Under Review past 2 weeks, you have likely cleared the initial editorial screen.

Submission portal and editorial contact: Advanced Functional Materials uses Wiley ScholarOne at mc.manuscriptcentral.com/afm. Editorial questions go to afm@wiley.com, referencing your manuscript ID.

Advanced Functional Materials desk-rejects roughly 50 to 60 percent of submissions in 7 to 14 days. If past that window, peer review is active.

While you wait

You can't speed up Advanced Functional Materials's review. A Advanced Functional Materials submission readiness check flags functional-materials significance gaps, characterization-completeness issues, and missing device integration that drive most desk rejections, in about 5 minutes.

Advanced Functional Materials's review pipeline

Status
What is happening
Typical duration
Submitted to Journal
Administrative processing
Day 0 to 2
With Editor
Editor evaluating desk-screen fit
Days 2 to 14
Under Review
Reviewers invited or actively reviewing
Days 14 to 56
Required Reviews Complete
Editor synthesizing reports
5 to 10 days
Decision in Process
Editor finalizing decision letter
3 to 7 days
Decision Sent
Reject, R&R, or accept
Check email

The editorial desk screen (about 50 to 60 percent rejected)

Advanced Functional Materials editors evaluate functional-materials significance, characterization completeness, and device-integration depth. A desk rejection usually means scope, characterization gaps, or weak device performance.

Day 0: ScholarOne upload

The mc.manuscriptcentral.com/afm portal accepts the package and routes to a handling editor.

Days 1 to 14: Editor desk-screen

The handling editor reads the paper and decides whether to invite reviewers.

Days 14 to 28: Reviewer invitations

Advanced Functional Materials typically invites two to three reviewers with functional-materials and device expertise.

Days 21 to 56: Peer review

Reviewer reports return on a 4 to 8 week cadence.

Days 56 to 84: First editorial decision

Major revision is the most common outcome.

Days 84 to 240: Revision rounds and acceptance

Single-revision acceptances run roughly 4 to 6 months.

When to worry

  • Rejection within 1 to 5 days: Administrative issue or scope mismatch.
  • Rejection within 7 to 14 days: Desk rejection.
  • Still Under Review after 3 weeks: Good sign.
  • Still Under Review after 10 weeks: Reviewer delay.

Readiness check

While you wait on Advanced Functional Materials, scan your next manuscript.

The scan takes about 1-2 minutes. Use the result to decide whether to revise before the decision comes back.

Check my next manuscriptAnthropic Privacy Partner. Zero-retention manuscript processing.Open status guideOr verify a citation in 10 seconds

What to do while waiting

  • Do not contact during the first 8 weeks unless urgent.
  • Prepare a point-by-point response template focused on functional-materials performance and device integration.

How Advanced Functional Materials compares to nearby alternatives

Feature
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Materials
Small
Desk rejection rate
50 to 60 percent
60 to 70 percent
40 to 50 percent
50 to 60 percent
Desk decision speed
7 to 14 days
14 to 21 days
7 to 14 days
7 to 14 days
Total review time
5 to 8 weeks
6 to 10 weeks
6 to 10 weeks
4 to 8 weeks
Editorial bar
Functional materials with device-integration depth
Top broad materials with significance
High-impact nanomaterials with characterization depth
Broad nanoscience with significance

Submit if your paper passed the desk

If your Advanced Functional Materials paper is Under Review past 2 weeks, you have likely cleared the desk screen.

Advanced Functional Materials submission readiness check. It takes about 1-2 minutes.

Think twice before assuming "Under Review" means safe

Advanced Functional Materials editors retain discretion to reject after partial review. Our Advanced Functional Materials manuscript fit check flags characterization and device-integration gaps before reviewers do.

For a free pre-upload diagnostic, use the Advanced Functional Materials manuscript fit check.

Last verified: Advanced Functional Materials author guidance, Wiley ScholarOne portal at mc.manuscriptcentral.com/afm, and editorial contact at afm@wiley.com.

The Advanced Functional Materials reviewer experience

Reviewer focus area
What Advanced Functional Materials asks reviewers to evaluate
How to prepare
Functional-materials significance
Is the materials advance significant for functional applications?
Differentiate from purely-characterization or purely-synthesis work
Characterization completeness
Standard techniques (TEM/SEM, XRD, XPS) all reported?
Include complete characterization in main text
Device integration
Is the materials performance demonstrated in a working device?
Include device characterization and performance metrics
Benchmarking
Quantitative comparison to state-of-the-art?
Include benchmarking table with 2 to 3 literature systems
Reproducibility
Could another lab reproduce these results?
Provide detailed synthesis and device-fabrication protocols

In our pre-submission review work with Advanced Functional Materials manuscripts

Three failure patterns generate the most consistent rejections.

Materials characterization without device integration. Advanced Functional Materials emphasizes functional performance in devices.

Device performance without characterization depth. The paper needs both: rigorous characterization + working device demonstration.

Wrong Wiley materials venue chosen. Advanced Functional Materials competes with Advanced Materials, Advanced Energy Materials, and specialty Advanced journals.

Methodology note

This page was created from Advanced Functional Materials's public author guidance, Wiley ScholarOne documentation, and Manusights review work.

Frequently asked questions

Your manuscript has cleared Wiley ScholarOne admin checks and is being evaluated, either by the handling editor or by external peer reviewers. Advanced Functional Materials treats 'Under Review' as the active editorial period.

Advanced Functional Materials reports a median first-decision time of 5 to 8 weeks. Desk decisions usually arrive within 1 to 2 weeks; full peer-review decisions land 6 to 12 weeks after submission.

Wait at least 8 weeks before inquiring. Contact afm@wiley.com, referencing the manuscript ID.

Your paper passed the desk screen and reviewers are being invited. Advanced Functional Materials typically invites two to three reviewers with functional-materials and device expertise.

Yes. The 5 to 8 week median means roughly half of papers take longer.

Past 10 weeks is the right moment for a polite, factual inquiry. Silence in the first 5 weeks is normal.

References

Sources

  1. Advanced Functional Materials author guidelines
  2. Wiley ScholarOne submission portal
  3. Wiley editorial policies

Best next step

Use this page to interpret the status and choose the next sensible move.

For Advanced Functional Materials, the better next step is guidance on timing, follow-up, and what to do while the manuscript is still in the system. Save the Free Readiness Scan for the next paper you have not submitted yet.

Guidance first. Use the scan for the next manuscript.

Anthropic Privacy Partner. Zero-retention manuscript processing.

Internal navigation

Where to go next

Open Status Guide