Nano Letters Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

Nano Letters follows ACS abstract conventions.

• Word limit: 150 words maximum for Letters; invited Perspectives carry a brief abstract of about 120 words

• Graphic: a TOC/abstract graphic is required with each manuscript (see below)

The abstract should be self-contained and describe the main finding with specific quantitative outcomes. For Nano Letters, the abstract often determines whether a reader opens the full paper. State what you made or measured, what you found, and why it matters, all within 150 words.

Write the abstract so it stands on its own: define abbreviations again in the body text, and avoid pointing to figures, tables, or equations.

Figures are the visual backbone of Nano Letters papers. The journal is image-rich, and high-quality figures are expected.

Figure specifications:

The guidelines do state a figure count for Letters: 3 to 6 figures in total, including schemes, is preferred, and the editorial-policies section says no more than 5. Put additional figures in the Supporting Information. Multi-panel figures are standard. A single figure with panels (a) through (f) is typical for nanoscience papers that combine synthesis, characterization, and performance data.

TOC graphic (mandatory):

The TOC graphic should visually communicate the essence of the paper at a glance. For Nano Letters, effective TOC graphics typically show a nanostructure image alongside a key data plot or a schematic of the phenomenon. Avoid text-heavy graphics. The graphic will be displayed at small sizes in the table of contents, so clarity at reduced dimensions is essential.

Color is free at ACS. Use it. Nano Letters papers without color figures are rare. TEM/SEM micrographs, optical spectra, device curves, and schematics all benefit from color.

At initial submission, ACS accepts references in any style, but each reference must be complete, including its title. The ACS Style Quick Guide lists the required components for each reference type, and using it from the start avoids reformatting later.

Reference list format (journal article, following the ACS Style Quick Guide examples):

Author, A. B.; Author, C. D.; Author, E. F. Title of article. Journal Name Year, Volume (Issue), Pages. DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxxx

Key formatting details from those examples:

• Author names: Surname, initials (e.g., "Smith, J. K.")

• Semicolons between authors

• Article titles included, in sentence case

• Journal name, then year, volume, issue, and page range or article number

• DOI at the end: DOI: 10.xxxx/xxxxx

ACS style is well-supported by citation managers. Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote all have ACS styles.

The guidelines publish no reference limit. The letter format naturally constrains citations, so cite the most relevant work directly and move extended literature surveys to the Supporting Information if needed.

Supporting Information (SI) is functionally mandatory for Nano Letters papers, even though it's not formally required.

What goes in the SI:

• Detailed experimental procedures (synthesis, fabrication, measurement protocols)

• Full characterization data (TEM, SEM, XRD, XPS, NMR, FTIR)

• Control experiments and additional data

• Computational details (DFT methods, parameters, convergence tests)

• Additional figures and tables

• Videos (device operation, dynamic processes)

The SI is submitted as separate files through the ACS Publishing Center, at the same time as the manuscript. It is provided to the reviewers during peer review. Reviewers frequently request additional SI during revision.

ACS requires a brief, nonsentence description of the contents of each SI file, including the file type extension. Label it "Supporting Information" and place it before the Acknowledgement and Reference sections, for example: "Supporting Information: Additional experimental details, materials, and methods, including photographs of experimental setup (DOC)". Descriptions such as "Supporting Information: Figures S1-S3" are insufficient.

Data deposition: For crystallographic data, deposit CIF files with the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC). Nano Letters applies ACS Research Data Policy Level 1: authors are encouraged to share the data underlying their results, preferably in an appropriate public repository, and are encouraged (not required) to provide a Data Availability Statement. SI files published with an article are assigned a DOI and hosted on Figshare.

The SI for Nano Letters papers is often substantial, running 15-30 pages for a thorough experimental study. This is normal and expected. Reviewers want to see the data even if it doesn't fit in the main text.

These are Nano Letters-specific details experienced authors know:

TOC graphic is mandatory. ACS requires a graphic with each manuscript. Beyond compliance, the TOC graphic affects visibility. A well-designed graphic can increase click-through rates from the table of contents significantly.

No separate subsection titles. The guidelines say Letters should not contain separate subsection titles but should flow continuously. The recommended organization is introduction and background, integrated results and discussion, and concluding remarks. Experimental and theoretical details that matter for reproducibility but are not essential to understanding the Letter belong in the Supporting Information.

Supporting Information description and data statement. Describe the SI files in a brief label headed "Supporting Information" before the Acknowledgement and Reference sections. If you include a Data Availability Statement, ACS asks for it in the manuscript under the Associated Content heading with the Supporting Information. The Corresponding Author provides the conflict-of-interest statement on behalf of all authors during submission.

ORCID iDs. Authors submitting manuscript revisions are required to provide their own validated ORCID iD before completing the submission, if one is not already linked to their ACS Publishing Center profile. All authors are strongly encouraged to register. Do not type ORCID iDs into the manuscript; ACS displays only iDs that were linked to the ACS account before acceptance.

Safety information. Authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, or significant hazards or risks associated with the reported work. For a communication or letter, this information goes in the main text.

Cover art suggestions. Authors are encouraged to submit images for the journal's front cover or Supplementary Covers when they submit the revised manuscript. Images chosen for the front cover are published at no cost to the author.

Preprint policy. Nano Letters authors may deposit an initial draft of their manuscript in a preprint service. State the preprint's link and date in the cover letter. All other prior or redundant publication is forbidden.

These get flagged in Nano Letters submissions:

1. TOC graphic wrong dimensions. ACS asks for a graphic that fits an area no larger than 3.25 x 1.75 inches, supplied at actual size. Check the size before upload.

1. SI not cited in text. Reference every SI figure and table in the main text so reviewers can find the supporting data.

1. Missing characterization data. For papers reporting new nanomaterials, reviewers expect full characterization covering size distribution, crystal structure, composition analysis, and stability data. Missing any of these is a common revision trigger.

1. Safety information absent. ACS asks authors to emphasize any unexpected, new, or significant hazards or risks in the main text. If your synthesis uses HF, cadmium compounds, lead compounds, or other notably hazardous chemicals, describe the hazards clearly.

1. Abstract exceeding 150 words. The author guidelines limit the abstract to 150 words. Edit before submission.

For manuscripts targeting Nano Letters, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

Letter format requirements not met: manuscript exceeds the Letter length guidance or misses the TOC graphic. ACS Nano Letters is a Letter-format journal. The author guidelines give a preferred Letter length of 1,500 to 4,000 words with 3 to 6 figures, and their editorial-policies section says less than 3,000 words and no more than 5 figures. Additionally, ACS requires a Table of Contents (TOC) graphic with each manuscript, sized to fit an area no larger than 3.25 inches wide by 1.75 inches tall.

Novelty insufficient for the letter format: incremental nanoparticle synthesis without property-mechanism coupling. ACS Nano Letters editors evaluate whether each submission advances the fundamental understanding of nanoscale phenomena, not merely reports a new nanoparticle variant. Submissions where synthesis of a new material variant is the primary contribution, without demonstrating an unexpected property or mechanistic advance relative to existing systems, are declined at desk. The journal's author guidelines describe it as a forum for original results on fundamental, applied, and emerging nanoscience research that require rapid dissemination.

Incomplete references: titles and other required components missing. ACS accepts references in any style at initial submission, but they must be complete, including titles. Incomplete references are the formatting error to avoid; the ACS Style Quick Guide lists the required components for each reference type.

Supporting Information that repeats main text figures rather than providing independent characterization data. Nano Letters reviewers expect the Supporting Information to contain the full characterization data that supports but does not duplicate the main text: NMR spectra, XRD patterns, TEM images with statistical analysis, and control experiments. Submissions where the SI reproduces main text figures with minor modification, or where critical characterization supporting the main claim is absent from both the main text and SI, are flagged for data insufficiency.

A Nano Letters submission readiness check evaluates manuscript structure, letter-format compliance, and characterization completeness against these desk-rejection patterns before you submit.

For a manuscript-specific signal before you submit, run a Nano Letters submission readiness check.

Or see example reports before you finalize.