Journal Guide
Publishing in Ceramics International: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide
Ceramic materials: synthesis, processing, and functional applications
Should you submit here?
Submit if present ceramic with exceptional mechanical properties, unique functionality, or novel application. Be careful if characterizing ceramic microstructure and properties alone insufficient.
5.6
Impact Factor (2024)
~45-55%
Acceptance Rate
~90-120 days median
Time to First Decision
Submission guide
Ceramics International Submission Guide 2026: Requirements & What Editors Want
Ceramics International submission guide: editorial requirements, common rejection patterns, and what editors actually want from ceramics papers.
Journal assessment
Is Ceramics International a Good Journal? Impact, Scope, and Fit
Ceramics International (IF 5.6, Elsevier) is the leading broad-scope ceramics journal. Here's how it compares to J. European Ceramic Society, J. American Ceramic Society, and Acta Materialia.
Desk rejection
How to Avoid Desk Rejection at Ceramics International (2026)
How to avoid desk rejection at Ceramics International: ceramic novelty, property validation, and application relevance that holds up.
What Ceram. Int. Publishes
Ceramics International published by Elsevier is the premier journal for ceramic materials science and engineering. With JIF 5.6 and Q1 ranking in Ceramics, CI emphasizes research on ceramic synthesis, processing, properties, and applications. The journal publishes research on traditional ceramics, advanced ceramics, and functional ceramic materials. Critically: CI values materials with practical applications. Pure characterization without functional relevance is less competitive. The journal seeks papers showing how ceramic materials enable applications.
- Traditional ceramics: porcelain, stoneware, glass-ceramics, refractories
- Advanced ceramics: oxides, carbides, nitrides, borides with functional properties
- Processing: sintering, sol-gel, hydrothermal, spark plasma sintering, 3D printing
- Mechanical properties: strength, toughness, fracture mechanics, thermal shock
- Functional ceramics: bioceramics, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, electrochemical
- Thermal and optical: thermal conductivity, transparency, photocatalysis
- Composite ceramics: ceramic-ceramic, ceramic-metal, reinforced ceramics
- Nano and porous ceramics: nanoceramics, foam ceramics, zeolites
Editor Insight
“Ceramics International publishes ceramic materials with demonstrated functional advantages. We seek ceramics with superior properties, novel applications, or addressing real material challenges.”
What Ceram. Int. Editors Look For
Ceramic material with superior properties or novel functional application
Present ceramic with exceptional mechanical properties, unique functionality, or novel application. Stronger than conventional? Better functional performance? Show clear advantages with quantified metrics.
Complete characterization including mechanical and functional properties
Thoroughly characterize ceramic: microstructure (SEM, XRD), mechanical properties (strength, toughness, hardness), thermal behavior, functional properties as relevant. Comprehensive characterization essential.
Processing method controlling ceramic properties and microstructure
Show how processing controls ceramic properties. What sintering temperature? Doping effects? Particle size influence? Explain structure-property relationships.
Demonstration of functional application or device performance
Show ceramic performs in actual application. For structural: real stress testing. For functional: actual device performance. Application validation proves practical utility.
Cost-effective synthesis and practical manufacturability
Address synthesis cost and manufacturing feasibility. Use affordable precursors. Show production can scale. Cost-effective synthesis essential for adoption.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Ceram. Int.'s editorial review:
Ceramic characterization without demonstrating functional advantage
Characterizing ceramic microstructure and properties alone insufficient. Show how ceramic solves real problem: better performance, novel function, or cost advantage.
Lab-scale synthesis without addressing manufacturability
Show synthesis is scalable and cost-effective. Using expensive precursors or extreme conditions limits practical utility.
Incomplete property characterization
Functional ceramics require comprehensive characterization. If claiming biocompatibility, show biocompatibility testing. If claiming thermal conductivity, measure it.
No comparison with existing ceramic alternatives
Show quantitatively how ceramic outperforms or differs from conventional ceramics. What advantages justify adoption?
Ignoring mechanical limitations or failure modes
Ceramics are brittle. Address fracture mechanics and failure behavior. Show brittleness managed through design or material composition.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Ceram. Int.'s criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from Ceram. Int. Authors
Bioceramics for medical applications (bone replacement, dental) highly competitive
Biocompatible ceramics with demonstrated bioactivity or osteointegration receive strong editorial interest.
Thermal and mechanical ceramics for energy and aerospace valued
High-temperature ceramics, thermal barrier coatings, or advanced refractories have industrial relevance.
Porous and nano-ceramics with unique functionality trending
Porous structures for catalysis or ion conductors, nanoceramics with quantum effects increasingly competitive.
Sustainable and low-temperature synthesis methods gaining attention
Green processing methods using renewable materials or lower-temperature synthesis increasingly important.
Ceramic composites with improved mechanical properties valued
Composites addressing ceramic brittleness through reinforcement or toughening mechanisms increasingly prominent.
The Ceram. Int. Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Prep5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include ceramic synthesis and processing, complete characterization (microscopy, XRD, mechanical, functional properties), application demonstration, comparison with existing materials.
Submission via Elsevier system
Day 0Submit at https://www.editorialmanager.com/CI/. Required: manuscript emphasizing ceramic novelty and application, figures showing characterization and properties, cover letter highlighting advantages.
Editorial assessment
1-2 weeksEditor assesses ceramic novelty and application significance. Papers lacking functional demonstration or application context face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~20-30%.
Peer review
90-120 days2-3 ceramics experts assess novelty, characterization rigor, property claims, and application significance. First decision 90-120 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 4-8 weeksRevisions often request additional property characterization or mechanical testing. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.
Ceram. Int. by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor | 5.2 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 5.5 |
| Acceptance rate | ~45-55% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~20-30% |
| Median first decision | ~105 days |
| Open access option | $2,800 USD |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Founded | 1987 |
Before you submit
Ceram. Int. accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
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Article Types
Research Article
5,000-8,000 wordsCeramic material with complete characterization and application
Review
8,000-12,000 wordsCeramics topic review
Landmark Ceram. Int. Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Bioactive ceramics for bone replacement (1990s+) - regenerative medicine
- Thermal barrier coatings (2000s+) - high-temperature protection
- Nanoceramics with enhanced properties (2000s+) - quantum effects
- Ceramic composites for structural applications (various) - toughness improvement
Preparing a Ceram. Int. Submission?
Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Ceram. Int. and know exactly what editors look for.
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Primary Fields
Latest Journal-Specific Guides
- Submission guideCeramics International Submission Guide 2026: Requirements & What Editors WantCeramics International submission guide: editorial requirements, common rejection patterns, and what editors actually want from ceramics papers.
- Journal assessmentIs Ceramics International a Good Journal? Impact, Scope, and FitCeramics International (IF 5.6, Elsevier) is the leading broad-scope ceramics journal. Here's how it compares to J. European Ceramic Society, J. American Ceramic Society, and Acta Materialia.
- Desk rejectionHow to Avoid Desk Rejection at Ceramics International (2026)How to avoid desk rejection at Ceramics International: ceramic novelty, property validation, and application relevance that holds up.
- Review timelineCeramics International Review Time: What Authors Can Actually ExpectCeramics International is quicker than many ceramics journals, but the practical question is not just how fast the first decision arrives. It is whether the manuscript already has the full processing-structure-property package that the journal expects.
More Guides for This Journal
- Acceptance rateCeramics International Acceptance Rate: What Authors Can UseCeramics International does not disclose an official acceptance rate. The editorial filter that matters is whether your ceramics paper goes beyond structural characterization to demonstrate a clear property or application advance.
- Impact factorCeramics International Impact Factor 2026: 5.6, Q1, Rank 3/33Ceramics International impact factor is 5.6 with a 5-year JIF of 5.2. See the rank, trend, and what that number means before submission.
- Publishing costsCeramics International APC and Open Access: Elsevier Pricing, Institutional Deals, and AlternativesCeramics International (Elsevier) charges ~$3,800-$4,200 for open access. Hybrid journal, IF ~5, core Elsevier R&P.
- Submission processCeramics International Submission Process: What Happens From Upload to First DecisionUse this Ceramics International submission process guide to understand editorial screening, reviewer routing, common delays, and what to tighten.
- Manuscript prepCeramics International Cover Letter: What Editors Actually Need to SeeCeramics International publishes over 6,000 articles per year. The cover letter must quickly prove scope fit and a real advance over existing ceramic materials.
- Publishing guideCeramics International Formatting Requirements: The Submission Package GuideCeramics International formatting problems are usually package-discipline problems: a concise abstract, category-coded keywords, reproducible methods, and artwork files that support one ceramics story.
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Avoid Desk Rejection
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Manuscript Rejected?
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Reviewer Response Help
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Reference library
Compare Ceram. Int. with the broader publishing context
This journal guide is the best starting point for Ceram. Int.. The reference library covers the surrounding questions authors usually ask next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how neighboring journals compare, and what the submission constraints look like across the field.
Checklist system / operational asset
Elite Submission Checklist
A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.
Flagship report / decision support
Desk Rejection Report
A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.
Dataset / reference hub
Journal Intelligence Dataset
A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.
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.
Need field-expert depth? See Expert Review Options