Applied Surface Science Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

Applied Surface Science follows the standard Elsevier abstract format.

• Word limit: 200 words for Research Articles
• Structure: Single unstructured paragraph
• Citations: Not permitted
• Abbreviations: Define at first use
• Keywords: 4 to 6 keywords required below the abstract

For surface science papers, the abstract should specify the substrate, the surface treatment or modification, the characterization techniques used, and the primary quantitative result. Reviewers expect specific numbers: contact angle values, surface roughness measurements, binding energies, or catalytic performance metrics.

Keywords should include the surface modification technique, the substrate material, the key characterization method, and the application. "Surface modification" alone is too broad for a journal that publishes nothing else. Be specific: "plasma treatment of PEEK," "TiO2 thin film photocatalysis," or "XPS analysis of self-assembled monolayers."

Figure quality is particularly important at Applied Surface Science because the journal's content is inherently visual. Surface morphology, spectral data, and thin film cross-sections are the core of most papers.

Figure specifications:

Discipline-specific expectations:

XPS spectra should show survey spectra and high-resolution core-level spectra with peak fitting. Peak fitting curves must be clearly visible, with individual components distinguishable (different colors or line styles). Include the background subtraction method in the caption. Binding energy axes should run from high to low energy (right to left), following the standard XPS convention.

SEM and AFM images need scale bars. For AFM images, include the height color bar with numerical range. For SEM images, include the accelerating voltage and working distance in the caption.

Cross-sectional TEM or SEM images of thin films should include layer labels and thickness measurements. If you're showing a multilayer structure, label each layer clearly.

Contact angle images should include the measured angle value overlaid on the image or in the caption. Show both advancing and receding angles if you're discussing wettability.

Highlights follow the standard Elsevier format and are mandatory.

• Count: 3 to 5 bullet points
• Character limit: 85 characters per highlight including spaces
• Submission: Separate file upload
• Content: Specific findings with numbers

For surface science papers:

Bad highlight (91 characters): "The surface properties of the modified material were significantly improved after treatment"

Good highlight (82 characters): "Plasma-treated PEEK achieved 15-degree water contact angle from initial 85 degrees"

Highlights appear on ScienceDirect and in search results. For a high-volume journal like Applied Surface Science, they're one of the main differentiators that determine whether a reader clicks on your article.

Applied Surface Science uses the Elsevier numbered reference system.

In-text citations: Square brackets [1], [2,3], [4-7]. First appearance order.

Reference list format:

[1] A.B. Author, C.D. Author, Title of article, Appl. Surf. Sci. Volume (Year) Pages.

Key formatting details:

• Initials before surname
• Commas between authors
• Journal names abbreviated per ISO 4
• Volume in bold
• DOIs recommended
• More than 6 authors: first 6 then "et al."

Surface science papers often cite instrument manuals, software documentation, and database entries (NIST XPS database, ICDD powder diffraction files). Format these as web references with the URL, organization, title, and access date. For the NIST XPS database specifically, cite the database DOI rather than the URL, as the URL structure has changed multiple times.

There's no strict reference cap. Research Articles typically cite 40 to 60 papers.

Given the data-intensive nature of surface science, supplementary material plays an important role.

Common supplementary content:

• Additional XPS spectra (peak fitting details, all core levels)
• Extra SEM/TEM images at different magnifications
• AFM topography and phase images
• Additional contact angle measurements
• EDS mapping and composition data
• Electrochemical characterization data
• DFT calculation details and optimized structures

Formatting:

• Single PDF file preferred
• Fig. S1, Table S1 numbering
• Each item cited in main text
• Maximum 50 MB per file

For papers that combine surface characterization with computational work (DFT calculations of surface adsorption, for example), the supplementary material should include computational parameters, convergence criteria, and optimized atomic coordinates. Reviewers in computational surface science are thorough about checking these details.

Data deposition is encouraged. Mendeley Data and Zenodo work well for surface science datasets. Include the DOI in your data availability statement.

Details specific to Applied Surface Science:

XPS data reporting standards. The journal has informal but strong expectations about how XPS data is presented. Survey spectra should be included to show the overall surface composition. High-resolution spectra should include peak fitting with Shirley or Tougaard background subtraction (state which one). Binding energies should be calibrated, and the calibration method must be stated (adventitious carbon C 1s at 284.8 eV is standard).

CRediT author statement is mandatory. Like all Elsevier journals, Applied Surface Science requires CRediT-format author contributions.

Declaration of competing interests. Mandatory, even if no conflicts exist.

Surface science nomenclature. Use standardized nomenclature for surface analysis techniques: XPS (not ESCA), AFM (not scanning probe microscopy, unless you're discussing the broader technique family), and SEM (define at first use even though it's common). The journal is strict about consistency.

Reproducibility expectations. Applied Surface Science editors have placed increasing emphasis on experimental reproducibility. Your Experimental section should include enough detail for another lab to reproduce your surface treatment. This includes substrate cleaning procedures, plasma parameters (power, pressure, gas flow, treatment time), deposition conditions, and characterization instrument settings.

The journal values application context. Pure surface characterization without an application context is increasingly difficult to publish in Applied Surface Science. Your Introduction should connect the surface modification to a practical application (biomaterials, catalysis, corrosion protection, electronics, etc.).

Common issues at Applied Surface Science:

1. Highlights exceeding 85 characters. The submission system enforces this strictly.

1. XPS spectra without peak fitting details. Reviewers expect to see individual peak components, background type, and binding energy assignments.

1. Missing scale bars on microscopy images. Every SEM, TEM, and AFM image needs a scale bar. No exceptions.

1. Tables counted in word limit. Composition tables and parameter tables are common in surface science papers and eat into the 8,000-word budget.

1. Incomplete experimental details. Surface treatments that lack specific parameters (e.g., "plasma treatment was performed" without power, pressure, time, and gas composition) will be flagged.

In our pre-submission review work with manuscripts targeting Applied Surface Science, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

Surface characterization data absent or insufficient for the claims. Applied Surface Science requires that the surface under investigation be characterized by surface-specific techniques. XPS, FTIR (ATR mode for surface films), AFM (topography and phase), water contact angle, and BET surface area are the standard characterization toolkit for a surface science paper. A corrosion study that reports electrochemical impedance data without XPS confirming the surface layer composition, or a coating study that shows SEM without contact angle data, generates major revision requests. The journal title specifies "Applied Surface Science" because surface characterization must be the center of the study, not a supporting measurement.

Elsevier CRediT author contributions statement missing. Applied Surface Science requires an Author Contributions section using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) format, specifying each author's role from the 14 standardized CRediT roles. This is enforced by Elsevier's Editorial Manager submission system; submissions without this section are flagged during technical check. Additionally, a Data Availability Statement must be included, specifying where data are available or why they cannot be shared.

Scope: bulk materials study with thin surface characterization. Applied Surface Science publishes studies where the surface or interface is the primary subject. Bulk mechanical property studies of composites that include a few surface characterization data points as context, or corrosion studies focused on bulk electrochemical performance without interrogating the surface passive layer, are rejected for scope. The guideline is whether removing the surface characterization would fundamentally change the paper's conclusions: if yes, the paper belongs in Applied Surface Science; if no, it belongs in a materials science or electrochemistry journal.

Graphical abstract missing or not meeting Elsevier specifications. Elsevier journals including Applied Surface Science require a graphical abstract: a single-panel visual summary uploaded as a separate file. The minimum specifications are 531 x 1328 pixels for portrait orientation, with text occupying no more than 20% of the image area. Manuscripts without a graphical abstract are returned by the editorial office. A figure panel from the paper does not qualify unless it was specifically designed to stand alone as a visual summary.

A Applied Surface Science submission readiness check evaluates surface characterization depth, CRediT compliance, scope alignment, and graphical abstract requirements against these patterns.