Applied Surface Science APC and Open Access: Elsevier Pricing and Institutional Coverage
Applied Surface Science charges ~$3,800-$4,200 for open access. Core Elsevier R&P journal, covered by most deals. Compare with Surface Science and J Colloid.
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Quick answer: Applied Surface Science charges roughly $3,800-$4,200 for gold open access. Publishing via subscription is free. It's a core Elsevier journal covered by standard institutional agreements, so many researchers publish OA at no personal cost.
What Applied Surface Science charges
Component | Details |
|---|---|
Gold OA APC | ~$3,800-$4,200 |
CC BY | Higher end |
CC BY-NC-ND | Lower end |
Subscription-track | $0 |
Submission fee | $0 |
Color figures | $0 (online) |
Applied Surface Science is published by Elsevier as a hybrid journal. It publishes over 4,000 articles per year, making it one of the larger surface science and coatings journals globally. The journal covers both fundamental surface phenomena and applied surface engineering, with an IF of approximately 6 (2024).
Elsevier R&P coverage
As a core Elsevier journal (not Cell Press or Lancet), Applied Surface Science is included in standard Elsevier Read & Publish agreements. This means it's covered at the same institutions that cover Chemical Engineering Journal, Energy, and other Elsevier titles.
Major agreements covering this journal:
Region | Coverage |
|---|---|
UK (Jisc-Elsevier) | Full APC coverage |
Netherlands | Full |
Germany | Varies by institution |
Sweden, Finland, Norway | Various |
UC system | Partial ($1,000 + 10% discount) |
Australia (CAUL) | Capped |
If your institution has any Elsevier agreement, check whether Applied Surface Science is covered. It almost certainly is.
How Applied Surface Science compares
Journal | APC (USD) | Model | IF (2024) | Publisher | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Applied Surface Science | ~$3,800-$4,200 | Hybrid | ~6 | Elsevier | Applied surfaces |
Surface Science | ~$3,500-$4,000 | Hybrid | ~2 | Elsevier | Fundamental surfaces |
Thin Solid Films | ~$3,500-$4,000 | Hybrid | ~2 | Elsevier | Thin films |
J Colloid and Interface Science | ~$4,000-$4,500 | Hybrid | ~9 | Elsevier | Colloids/interfaces |
Langmuir | ~$4,500-$5,500 | Hybrid | ~3.7 | ACS | Interfaces/colloids |
ACS AMI | ~$4,500-$5,500 | Hybrid | ~9 | ACS | Applied materials |
Applied Surface Science offers competitive pricing for its IF level. It's cheaper than ACS alternatives (Langmuir, ACS AMI) and is covered by Elsevier agreements that many surface science labs already have.
For researchers choosing between Applied Surface Science and Langmuir, the decision often comes down to publisher ecosystem. Elsevier agreements cover the former, ACS agreements cover the latter. The IF difference (6 vs 3.7) favors Applied Surface Science.
What the journal publishes
Applied Surface Science covers:
- Surface characterization: XPS, AES, SIMS, STM/AFM, ellipsometry
- Thin films and coatings: PVD, CVD, ALD, electrodeposition
- Surface modification: Plasma treatment, ion implantation, laser processing
- Catalysis at surfaces: Heterogeneous catalysis, photocatalysis
- Biointerfaces: Biocompatible coatings, antimicrobial surfaces
- Nanomaterials characterization: Surface properties of nanoparticles, 2D materials
The journal's scope is broad within surface science. Papers that fit better in a more specialized journal (e.g., Catalysis Today for pure catalysis, Biomaterials for biomaterial applications) should target those journals instead.
Waivers and funder compliance
Waivers: Elsevier GPOA for lower-income countries. Hardship requests via Author Support.
Funder compliance:
Funder | Compliant? |
|---|---|
Plan S | Yes (CC BY gold OA) |
NIH | Yes (embargo or gold OA) |
UKRI | Yes |
ERC/Horizon Europe | Yes |
NSF/DOE | Yes |
Hidden costs
- No page charges or color fees for online publication
- Tax may apply (EU VAT)
- Supplementary data hosting is free through Elsevier
The practical decision
Applied Surface Science is a reliable, well-covered Elsevier journal for surface science research:
- Institution has Elsevier deal? Publish OA for free.
- No deal? Publish via subscription for free. Broad library access.
- Surface-focused ACS work? Compare with Langmuir or ACS AMI if your institution has better ACS coverage.
Make sure your surface characterization data is thorough. XPS peak fitting, AFM resolution, and thin film thickness measurements are the first things reviewers check. Run a free readiness scan to verify your manuscript before submission.
Reference library
Use the core publishing datasets alongside this guide
This article answers one part of the publishing decision. The reference library covers the recurring questions that usually come next: how selective journals are, how long review takes, and what the submission requirements look like across journals.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
Dataset / benchmark
Biomedical Journal Acceptance Rates
A field-organized acceptance-rate guide that works as a neutral benchmark when authors are deciding how selective to target.
Reference table
Journal Submission Specs
A high-utility submission table covering word limits, figure caps, reference limits, and formatting expectations.
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