Journal Guide
ACS Nano Impact Factor 16.0: Publishing Guide
Nanomaterials that work: from synthesis to real applications
16.0
Impact Factor (2024)
~15-20%
Acceptance Rate
~90-120 days median
Time to First Decision
What ACS Nano Publishes
ACS Nano published by the American Chemical Society is the premier journal for nanoscale science and engineering. With JIF 16.0 and Q1 ranking in Nanoscience & Nanotechnology and Materials Science, ACS Nano emphasizes novel nanomaterials with clear applications. The journal publishes research on synthesis, characterization, and application of nanomaterials across chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Critically: ACS Nano values research showing functional nanomaterials, not just characterization. Pure material science without demonstrated application or exceptional properties is less competitive. The journal seeks papers proving that nanomaterials enable new capabilities or significantly outperform bulk alternatives.
- Nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, optical and electronic properties
- Carbon nanomaterials: graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes
- Nanocomposites: polymer nanocomposites, hybrid materials
- Biomedical applications: drug delivery, imaging, therapeutics
- Catalysis: nanoparticle catalysts, surface chemistry
- Electronics and photonics: nanocircuits, light-emitting devices
- Energy applications: batteries, supercapacitors, solar cells
- Environmental applications: water treatment, sensing, remediation
Editor Insight
“ACS Nano publishes nanomaterials that work. We seek papers demonstrating novel nanostructures with exceptional properties or enabling new applications. Pure material characterization without functional advantage is less competitive. The best papers combine elegant synthesis with rigorous characterization and clear application value.”
What ACS Nano Editors Look For
Novel nanomaterial synthesis or exceptional properties
ACS Nano values novel nanostructures with unique properties or elegant synthesis approaches. Show why your nanomaterial is different. Is the synthesis novel? Do the nanoparticles have exceptional optical, electronic, or mechanical properties? What advantage does nanoscale provide over bulk?
Rigorous characterization of nanomaterial structure and properties
Thorough characterization is essential. Use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structure, X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystal structure, and appropriate spectroscopy for optical or electronic properties. Simple material characterization without exceptional findings is less competitive.
Clear application demonstration with superior performance
Beyond characterization, demonstrate that your nanomaterial enables new capabilities or significantly outperforms alternatives. Functional testing in intended application (drug delivery, catalysis, sensing, etc.) with quantitative performance metrics strengthens papers significantly.
Mechanistic understanding of nanoscale effects
Explain why nanoscale matters. How do size-dependent properties enable application? What physical or chemical mechanisms drive nanomaterial performance? Understanding the 'why' behind nanomaterial behavior is more impactful than empirical observation alone.
Scalability and practical feasibility
Demonstrate that your nanomaterial synthesis can scale beyond lab quantities. Address reproducibility, cost, and scale-up challenges. Nanomaterials requiring exotic conditions or extreme cost lack practical impact.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past ACS Nano's editorial review:
Nanomaterial characterization without application or exceptional properties
Many papers thoroughly characterize a new nanoparticle but show no exceptional properties and no application. ACS Nano values functional nanomaterials. Show why nanoscale matters: superior performance in application, unique optical/electronic properties, or enabling new capabilities.
Application testing showing marginal advantage over bulk
Demonstrating that a nanoparticle works slightly better than bulk alternative is weak. Exceptional performance (orders of magnitude better, enabling new function, or solving previously intractable problem) is required for competitive papers.
Incomplete characterization or inconsistent data
ACS Nano has high standards for data quality. TEM images must show clear structure, XRD must be properly indexed, spectroscopy must be correctly interpreted. Sloppy characterization or data inconsistencies are major revision requests.
Synthesis requiring exotic conditions or prohibitive cost
Nanomaterials synthesized only under extreme conditions (high pressure, exotic solvents, precious reagents) or at prohibitive cost have limited practical impact. Discuss synthesis scalability and cost. Practical feasibility matters.
Ignoring mechanism and just reporting empirical observations
Papers observing that nanomaterials work without explaining why are less impactful. Understanding nanoscale mechanisms - size-dependent properties, interface effects, quantum effects - significantly strengthens papers.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against ACS Nano's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from ACS Nano Authors
Biomedical and energy applications have highest impact potential
Papers demonstrating nanomaterials for drug delivery, medical imaging, battery chemistry, or solar applications often receive strong reception. Positioning research at intersection of nanomaterials and high-impact application area increases visibility.
TEM images showing novel nanostructure are highly valued
High-quality transmission electron microscopy images revealing new nanostructure or unexpected morphology significantly strengthen papers. ACS Nano readers expect exceptional structural insight from TEM.
In vivo biomedical or real-device testing strongly preferred over in vitro only
For biomedical nanomaterials, in vivo studies in animal models are much stronger than in vitro cellular testing alone. For electronics or photonics, integration into functional devices is preferred over characterization in solution.
Carbon nanotubes and graphene remain competitive but require exceptional properties
Carbon nanomaterials get high submission volume. To stand out, show truly exceptional properties, novel synthesis, or revolutionary application. Incremental improvements to existing CNT or graphene methods have lower impact.
Computational modeling alongside experimental work increases impact
Combining experimental nanoparticle synthesis and characterization with molecular dynamics simulations or density functional theory calculations explaining size-dependent properties significantly strengthens papers.
The ACS Nano Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Prep7,000-10,000 words with 6-8 figures. Include nanoparticle synthesis procedure, comprehensive characterization (TEM, XRD, spectroscopy), and functional application testing. Supporting information: additional TEM images, detailed characterization data, mechanistic insights.
Submission via ACS system
Day 0Submit at https://pubs.acs.org/. Required: manuscript, figures emphasizing novel nanostructure and functional advantage, cover letter highlighting novelty and application impact. Graphics abstract essential.
Editorial assessment
1-2 weeksEditor assesses novelty, characterization completeness, and application significance. Papers lacking exceptional properties or functional demonstration often desk-rejected. Competitive desk rejection ~40-50%.
Peer review
90-120 days2-3 nanomaterial experts assess synthesis novelty, characterization rigor, and application value. Reviewers scrutinize TEM images and property data carefully. First decision 90-120 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 4-8 weeksRevisions often request additional characterization, mechanistic explanation, or application testing. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.
ACS Nano by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor | 15.8 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 16.2 |
| Acceptance rate | ~15-20% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~40-50% |
| Median first decision | ~105 days |
| Open access option | $3,000 USD |
| Publisher | American Chemical Society |
| Founded | 2007 |
Before you submit
ACS Nano accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to ACS Nano. ~30 minutes.
Article Types
Article
7,000-10,000 wordsComplete nanoparticle synthesis, characterization, and application
Perspective
4,000-6,000 wordsEmerging nanomaterial trends and applications (usually invited)
Review
10,000-15,000 wordsComprehensive nanomaterial technology review (usually invited)
Landmark ACS Nano Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Carbon nanotubes synthesis and properties (Iijima, 1991) - discovered structural form of carbon
- Graphene isolation and properties (Novoselov et al., 2004, Nobel Prize 2010) - opened graphene nanomaterials field
- Quantum dots optical properties (Brus, 1980s; Alivisatos, 1990s) - size-dependent fluorescence enabled imaging
- Nanoparticles for drug delivery (Langer & Folkman, 1976; expanded 2000s) - enabled targeted therapeutics
- Plasmonic nanoparticles for sensing (surface plasmon resonance) - enabled label-free biosensing
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Primary Fields
Related Journal Guides
- Publishing in Advanced Functional Materials
- Publishing in Nano Letters
- Publishing in Small
- Publishing in Materials
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