Is Materials a good journal?

Materials is a strong target for manuscripts that match its scope and pass its main editorial fit screen. Key fit signal: Present material with enhanced properties or novel function. Main risk: Characterizing microstructure and measuring properties alone insufficient.

What is the acceptance rate of Materials?

Manusights has not verified a current acceptance rate for Materials. Check the publisher source for current data; this does not mean the publisher reports none. One common reason papers fail is material characterization without demonstrating property advantage or application relevance.

How long does Materials take to review?

Materials's current journal metrics list 14.4 days median to first decision (first half of 2026). Expect an editorial screen first, then manuscript preparation, then peer review.

How much does it cost to publish in Materials?

Materials applies a publication fee, and the current page-level figure we track is CHF 2,600. Reconfirm the official pricing page before budgeting because publisher fees can change.

Is Materials peer reviewed?

Yes, Materials is peer reviewed. Reviewers assess methods, reporting completeness, scope fit, and whether the conclusions are supported by the data.

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Journal Guide

Publishing in Materials: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide

Q: What should I know before submitting to Materials?

Sustainable and recycled materials increasingly competitive. Materials with environmental benefits (recycled content, biodegradable, low-impact) align with sustainability priorities.

Materials science: novel materials, properties, processing, and applications

Should you submit here?

IF 3.7 · Acceptance rate not published by the journal · 14.4 days median to first decision (first half of 2026)Last reviewed Oct 10, 20261 official · 0 estimated · 1 unverified signals

Best fit if

Present material with enhanced properties or novel function

Not ideal if

Characterizing microstructure and measuring properties alone insufficient

Also compare

Scienceand Advanced Materials

3.7

Impact Factor

Not published by the journal

Acceptance Rate

14.4 days median to first decision (first half of 2026)

Time to First Decision

Readiness Scan

See whether your manuscript clears Materials’s editorial screen.

Free 2 to 3 minute scan. Get a fit score, top issues, and the specific Materials desk-reject patterns flagged before you submit.

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What Materials Publishes

Materials published by MDPI is an open-access journal covering materials science and engineering across all material classes. With a 2025 JIF of 3.7 in the 2026 JCR release, Materials emphasizes research on novel materials, property enhancement, and processing methods. The journal publishes research on metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and nanomaterials. Critically: Materials values work addressing practical material challenges or demonstrating functional advantages. Pure characterization without application relevance is less competitive. The journal seeks papers showing how materials advances enable applications.

Metals and alloys: microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion, alloy design
Ceramics: sintering, microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties
Polymers: polymerization, crystallinity, mechanical behavior, degradation
Composites: fiber-matrix interaction, reinforcement, property enhancement
Nanomaterials: nanoparticles, nanostructures, unique properties, synthesis
Functional materials: biocompatibility, electrical properties, thermal properties
Processing methods: additive manufacturing, casting, powder metallurgy, coating
Sustainable materials: recycled content, biodegradable, low-environmental-impact

Manusights editorial analysis

Materials publishes materials science advancing practical performance. We seek materials demonstrating property advantages, novel functionality, or addressing material challenges.

What Materials Editors Look For

Novel material or processing method showing functional advantage or property improvement

Present material with enhanced properties or novel function. Stronger? Better thermal stability? Improved recyclability? Demonstrate clear advantage with quantified performance metrics.

Complete characterization including microstructure and property relationships

Thoroughly characterize material: microscopy for microstructure, spectroscopy for composition, mechanical and functional property testing. Show structure-property correlation.

Processing method reproducibly producing superior material

Show processing consistently yields material with desired properties. Address process control and optimization. Reproducibility essential for adoption.

Practical application demonstration or performance validation

Show material performs in actual application context. Strength testing under relevant loads, corrosion testing in relevant environment, or functional testing in device.

Comparison with existing materials and cost-benefit analysis

Show material outperforms or differs from conventional alternatives. Address cost relative to performance. Economic viability important for adoption.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Materials's editorial review:

Material characterization without demonstrating property advantage or application relevance

Characterizing microstructure and measuring properties alone insufficient. Show functional benefit: property advantage, application relevance, or cost benefit.

Property testing under non-realistic conditions

Test under conditions relevant to intended application. Properties measured in ideal lab conditions often differ in real use.

Incomplete property characterization for intended application

If claiming structural material, provide mechanical properties. If claiming functional material, provide functional characterization. Complete testing essential.

No comparison with existing commercial materials

Show material compares favorably with commercial alternatives. What advantages justify adoption?

Ignoring manufacturability and scalability

Show material can be made at scale using practical methods. Lab-scale without scale-up pathway has limited utility.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against Materials's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Manusights submission tips for Materials

Sustainable and recycled materials increasingly competitive

Materials with environmental benefits (recycled content, biodegradable, low-impact) align with sustainability priorities.

Additive manufacturing and novel processing methods trending

New manufacturing approaches enabling novel material forms or properties increasingly valuable.

Lightweight and high-strength materials for aerospace/automotive valued

Materials enabling weight reduction with maintained or improved strength have engineering relevance.

Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers gaining prominence

Polymers with biomedical or environmental benefits increasingly competitive.

Machine learning for materials design emerging area

Using computational methods or ML for materials property prediction increasingly valued.

The Materials Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include material synthesis/processing, characterization (microscopy, spectroscopy, properties), property-performance relationships, testing under realistic conditions, comparison with existing materials.

Submission via MDPI system

Day 0

Submit at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/materials/. Required: manuscript emphasizing novelty and property/application advantage, figures showing characterization and properties, cover letter highlighting benefits.

Editorial assessment

1-2 weeks

Editor assesses novelty and practical significance. Papers lacking clear advantage or application context face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~15-25%.

Peer review

70-100 days

2-3 materials experts assess novelty, characterization rigor, property claims, and significance. First decision 70-100 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 2-4 weeks

Revisions often request additional property testing or comparison data. Publication 1-3 weeks after acceptance (fast MDPI OA).

Materials by the Numbers

2025 Impact Factor	3.7
5-Year Impact Factor	3.8
Acceptance rate	Not published by the journal
Desk rejection rate	~15-25%
Median first decision(Materials journal page (MDPI), checked 2026-10-10)	14.4 days median to first decision (first half of 2026)
Open access APC	CHF 2,600
Publisher	MDPI
Founded	2008

Before you submit

Materials accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full Review from $39, with local pricing shown before checkout. If you need deeper submission planning, choose the Submission-Ready Dossier. The full report is calibrated to Materials.

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Research Article

5,000-8,000 words

Materials research with characterization and testing

Review

7,000-12,000 words

Materials topic review

Landmark Materials Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

High-strength lightweight alloys (various) - aerospace and automotive
Advanced polymer synthesis (various) - novel functional polymers
Composite material development (various) - enhanced mechanical properties
Additive manufacturing materials (2010s+) - novel manufacturing possibilities

Preparing a Materials Submission?

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Confidential

Primary Fields

Metals and AlloysPolymersCompositesCeramicsNanomaterialsAdditive Manufacturing

More Guides for This Journal

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