Journal of Physical Chemistry C Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

J. Phys. Chem. C asks for a clear, concise, one-paragraph abstract of 100-200 words. Because it is a single paragraph, it has no section headings.

The abstract should contain:

• The specific problem or question addressed

• The methods or computational approach used (1-2 sentences)

• The main results with quantitative data where possible

• The broader implications for the field

ACS editors are strict about abstracts that lack specific results. "We studied the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanostructures" won't pass editorial screening. You need specifics: "Anatase TiO2 nanorods achieved 95% methylene blue degradation in 45 minutes under simulated solar irradiation, outperforming commercial P25 by a factor of 2.3."

Don't cite references or refer to tables, figures, or other sections of the paper in the abstract, and don't use graphics, equations, or tables there. Define abbreviations and acronyms at first use.

The Table of Contents (TOC) graphic is one of ACS's most recognizable requirements, and ACS asks for it with every manuscript. This small image is used for display in the Web edition of the journal's table of contents and as the abstract graphic.

TOC graphic specifications:

• Size: submit it at the actual size to be used, so that it fits an area no larger than 3.25 inches by 1.75 inches (approx. 8.25 cm by 4.45 cm)

• Resolution: TIF at 300 dpi for color and 1200 dpi for black and white

• File format: TIF, or EPS in RGB color mode with all fonts converted to outlines or embedded in the file

• Should give a quick visual impression of the essence of the manuscript without providing specific results

• Minimal text allowed (labels only, no sentences)

• Use a sans serif font such as Helvetica, preferably at 8 pt and no smaller than 6 pt

• Must be entirely original, unpublished artwork created by one of the coauthors

The best TOC graphics in J. Phys. Chem. C combine a structural or experimental image (SEM micrograph, crystal structure, energy diagram) with an arrow or annotation linking the parts. Don't try to summarize the entire paper, and avoid specific results. Pick one visual that captures the essence of the paper.

Create the graphic at the specified size and resolution before you start the upload process. ACS asks you to label it "For Table of Contents Only" and provide it on the last page of the submitted manuscript.

J. Phys. Chem. C follows standard ACS figure guidelines, but the physical chemistry audience has expectations around data presentation that go beyond the basic rules.

Figure requirements:

• Minimum resolution: 1200 dpi for black and white line art, 600 dpi for grayscale art, and 300 dpi for color art

• Initial submission: embed figures in the text at the point of relevance; separate graphics can be supplied later at revision if necessary

• Size: single-column graphics up to 240 points (3.33 in.) wide; double-column graphics between 300 and 504 points (4.167 in. and 7 in.) wide; maximum depth 660 points (9.167 in.) including the caption

• Font in figures: Helvetica or Arial work well; lettering no smaller than 4.5 points in the final published format, and lines no thinner than 0.5 point

• Captions: each figure needs a caption below it giving the figure number and a brief description, understandable without reference to the text

• Ensure that any symbols and abbreviations used in the text agree with those in the artwork

• Color reproduction of graphics is provided at no additional cost to the author

Good practice for physical chemistry figures (the author guidelines do not list these as requirements):

• Spectroscopic data (XPS, FTIR, UV-vis) should include axis labels with proper units (eV, cm-1, nm)

• TEM/SEM images should have scale bars, not magnification factors

• Crystal structure figures should clearly label crystallographic axes

• Computational figures (energy diagrams, orbital plots) should include the level of theory in the caption

Table formatting:

• Each table must have a brief (one phrase or sentence) title that describes the contents and is understandable without reference to the text

• Details go in footnotes, not in the title

• Keep tables simple and concise, and avoid merging or splitting cells

• Tables should supplement, not duplicate, information presented in the text and figures

J. Phys. Chem. C accepts references in any style for the initial submission, provided they are complete. The ACS Style Quick Guide shows the required components of each reference type, and the examples below are written in that style.

What the author guidelines require:

• References can be provided in any style

• Manuscript titles must be included in the references (the checklist marks this as mandatory)

• There should be only one reference per citation (also marked as mandatory)

• Titles should be in Title Case or sentence case; mixed cases are not acceptable

• If you cite unpublished work (in preparation or submitted), upload copies of it as Supporting Information for Review Only

Example journal article:

(1) Zhang, Y.; Liu, T.; Chen, W.; Patel, S. R. Surface Plasmon Resonance Enhancement in Au-TiO2 Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Water Splitting. J. Phys. Chem. C 2026, 130 (5), 2341-2350.

Example book chapter:

(2) Kamat, P. V. Semiconductor Nanocrystals for Solar Energy Conversion. In Nanostructured Materials for Solar Energy; Wang, D., Ed.; Springer: New York, 2025; pp 112-145.

The examples above follow ACS style: semicolons separate authors, the year follows the journal title, and the issue number is in parentheses. If you want ACS style, a reference manager's ACS format handles these details automatically; the initial submission does not require it.

J. Phys. Chem. C allows Supporting Information (SI), which is made available free of charge to readers and can hold additional characterization data, computational details, or control experiments.

What belongs in SI:

• Additional spectra, diffraction patterns, or microscopy images

• Detailed computational methods and input parameters

• Cartesian coordinates for optimized structures (the ACS data requirements for computational results suggest placing structures and similar details in SI or another repository)

• Control experiments and reproducibility data

• Complete datasets that summarize in the main text

SI must be submitted at the same time as the manuscript, as separate file(s) that are not repeated in the manuscript. ACS asks authors to check its list of Acceptable Software by File Designation and confirm that the SI is viewable.

For computational papers, the ACS data requirements say that full details of the calculation (structures, energies, frequencies, and similar results) are best placed in a repository, such as the Supporting Information, that is accessible via the Internet; otherwise it is the investigator's responsibility to make the information available upon request.

J. Phys. Chem. C accepts both LaTeX and Word submissions.

LaTeX submissions:

• ACS strongly encourages use of its freely available LaTeX style package, which provides a simple template document for ACS journals

• Include all sections of the article in a single file, with the reference list and figure captions in the LaTeX document

• Submit your own PDF as the Manuscript PDF File, plus the LaTeX source files (.tex, .bib, graphics, and all other referenced files) as a ZIP archive

• Use minimal formatting and standard commands; avoid extensive use of \newcommand and \def

• Cite references with \cite{} and BibTeX (or \bibitem{})

Word submissions:

• Use the ACS Word template available from the ACS author guidelines; for most ACS journals the template is optional, so check the journal's own guidelines

• Use U.S. Letter (8 1/2" by 11") paper size, not A4

• Turn off the Line Numbers and Track Changes features (after accepting or rejecting all changes) before uploading

For papers with extensive equations, DFT energy expressions, or mathematical derivations, LaTeX is the practical choice. ACS says manuscript files prepared in TeX/LaTeX are used in journal production provided you adhere to its LaTeX guidelines. For more experimental papers with fewer equations, Word is equally fine.

1. The three-journal split matters. J. Phys. Chem. C covers nano, low-dimensional and bulk materials, chemical transformations at interfaces, and energy conversion and storage. If your paper deals with biophysics, it belongs in J. Phys. Chem. B. If it concerns molecules, clusters, or aerosols, consider J. Phys. Chem. A. You name a journal part and section in the cover letter and the submission system, and the final decision remains with the editors, who may suggest a transfer to another ACS journal.

2. Supporting Information descriptions are part of the manuscript. You must include a brief, nonsentence description of the contents of each SI file, including the file type extension, labeled Supporting Information and placed before the Acknowledgment and References sections. Something like: "Supporting Information: XRD patterns, additional TEM images, and DFT-optimized coordinates (PDF)." This isn't optional.

3. Data availability for computational work. All DFT, MD, or Monte Carlo studies must include enough computational detail for reproduction. ACS asks authors to list the source, version number, and force field of any commercial software used, to describe parameters and program options that affect reproducibility, and to report convergence criteria.

4. Conflicts of interest and ORCID. Authors submitting a manuscript revision are required to provide their own validated ORCID iD before completing the submission (all authors are strongly encouraged to register one), and ORCID iDs should not be typed into the manuscript. During submission the corresponding author must provide a conflict-of-interest statement on behalf of all authors.

5. Reviewers are tough on redundancy. J. Phys. Chem. C reviewers have a reputation for requesting that authors consolidate related figures or move data to SI. If you have six XPS spectra that all show the same trend, put the best example in the main text and move the rest to SI.

A standard J. Phys. Chem. C Article follows this structure:

1. Title (specific and informative, in Title Case; avoid uncommon acronyms and words such as "First", "Novel", "Facile", and "One Pot")

1. Author names and affiliations

1. Abstract (one paragraph, 100-200 words)

1. Introduction (background, gap, objective)

1. Experimental Section (or Computational Methods for theoretical work)

1. Results and Discussion (combined or separate, author's choice)

1. Conclusions (a brief summary of the principal conclusions)

1. Associated Content (SI description)

1. Author Information (corresponding author, notes on conflicts)

1. Acknowledgments

1. References

1. TOC Graphic

The Results and Discussion sections can be combined or kept separate. Most experimental papers in J. Phys. Chem. C combine them, while computational papers tend to separate them. Either approach is acceptable. The Conclusions section should be a concise paragraph that states the main findings and their implications. Don't introduce new results or speculation here.

These errors cause the most delays at J. Phys. Chem. C:

• TOC graphic with wrong dimensions or too low resolution

• Missing SI description in the main manuscript

• Equations not numbered or referenced incorrectly

• Abbreviations defined in the abstract but not redefined at first use in the body text

• Figures missing scale bars on microscopy images

• Computational papers lacking optimized coordinates in SI

• References that leave out article titles or are otherwise incomplete

For authors who are comparing submission targets across the physical chemistry space, see our Nature Methods formatting requirements guide for an entirely different formatting system. If you're working in nanomaterials and considering ACS Nano, the formatting requirements are similar but with different length norms. For broader tips on getting past editorial screening, check our guide on Science Advances formatting requirements.

For the official author instructions, visit the J. Phys. Chem. C author guidelines page.

For manuscripts targeting Journal of Physical Chemistry C, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

TOC graphic missing or submitted at incorrect dimensions. ACS guidelines require a Table of Contents graphic with each manuscript. The image must fit within an area of 3.25 inches by 1.75 inches, and ACS asks authors to submit it at the actual size to be used.

Supporting Information not self-contained for computational manuscripts. J. Phys. Chem. C peer reviewers expect that computational papers include in the Supporting Information all DFT functional names, basis set specifications, dispersion correction schemes, convergence criteria, and relevant structural coordinates. Manuscripts where reviewers must contact the authors to reproduce computational results are flagged for SI revision. The ACS author guidelines say papers must provide enough information for calculations and experiments to be reproduced by others, and encourage authors to use Supporting Information for this purpose.

Incomplete references. J. Phys. Chem. C accepts references in any style, but they must be complete, with article titles included and only one reference per citation. The ACS checklist marks the inclusion of titles and one reference per citation as mandatory points, and says a manuscript without the mandatory points will be unsubmitted.

Experimental and computational methods presented without direct connection to the spectroscopic or photophysical property being characterized. J. Phys. Chem. C editors expect a tight coupling between the experimental or computational methodology and the property of interest. Manuscripts that describe synthesis in detail but present spectroscopy as supplementary rather than as the primary evidence for the property claim are asked to revise the framing. The journal's scope centers on nanoscale, surface, and energy-relevant physical chemistry where measurement-property connections must be explicit.

A Journal of Physical Chemistry C formatting and readiness check evaluates manuscript structure, TOC graphic compliance, and reference format against these desk-rejection patterns before you submit.

Authors should submit to Journal of Physical Chemistry C when the manuscript's scope, article type, figures, methods, references, and cover letter all support the journal's actual editorial audience. Authors should avoid Journal of Physical Chemistry C when the draft only fits by metric, when the evidence package is incomplete, or when the strongest claim belongs in a narrower specialty venue.

Use this formatting pass as a fit check, not only a style check: the editor should be able to see who the paper is for, what claim it supports, and why the manuscript is ready for review.