2024 Annual Report of Microstructures

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our Editorial Board and editorial office, Microstructures has made significant strides in 2024, marking a transformative year for the journal.

Highlights:

• 207 submissions and 60 publications;
• 21 new experts joined the Editorial Board;
• 14 special issues, featuring 46 Guest Editors;
• 3 Frontiers Forums and 2 Youth Forums held;
• 4 international conference collaborations;
• Inclusion in ESCI (June 2024), with the first Impact Factor expected in 2025 (Target IF > 8).

These milestones have garnered considerable attention from professionals and scholars, positioning Microstructures at the forefront of material microstructure research. Let’s take a closer look at our 2024 progress.

1. Submissions and Publications

In 2024, Microstructures received 207 submissions, publishing 60 articles across 4 issues [Figure 1] with contributions from 391 authors. Submissions increased by 90%, and publications grew by 30% compared to 2023. The breakdown of article types is as follows: 50% Research Articles, 43% Reviews, and 7% Perspective [Figure 2]. The rejection rate was 58%, reflecting the journal's rigorous standards and highlighting areas for continued improvement.

The papers span various important research areas, including superconductivity, photocatalysis, batteries, thermal expansion, phase-field, single atomic catalysts, electrocatalysis, bioactive materials, ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics and nanomaterial design. Notably, half of the corresponding authors have an h-index between 20-40, with 23% having an h-index of 40-60 and 15% exceeding 60+ [Figure 3]. These include prominent researchers such as

• Zheshuai Lin and Chengtie Wu (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Lianzhou Wang (Queensland University)
• Si-Young Choi (POSTECH)
• ZI-KUI LIU (Pennsylvania State University)
• Soo-young Kim (South Korea)
• Nasir Mahmood (RMIT University)
• Xiayin Yao (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

All of whom are highly influential in their respective fields.

Figure 1. The Issue Covers in 2024; the full content of the papers can be accessed at Microstructures 2024 Issues

Figure 2. Distribution of Article Types in 2024

Figure 3. Distribution of H-index of Corresponding Authors for Articles Published in 2024

In addition, 833 reviewers from 22 nations or regions [Figure 4] contributed significantly to the paper review process in 2024. Their thorough analysis and constructive suggestions played a key role in accelerating the development of Microstructures and enhancing the quality of the publications. The editors of Microstructures greatly appreciate their dedicated time and effort. To recognize their exceptional contributions, we have established the Best Reviewer Award for outstanding review voting this year.

Figure 4. Distribution of Reviewers by Country/Region in 2024

2. Editorial Board

In 2024, 21 distinguished scholars joined the Editorial Board [Figure 5], with their country distribution shown in Figure 6. The Microstructures Editorial Board now comprises 90 members from 12 countries/regions, including China, Australia, the United States, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Slovenia, and Canada.

Figure 5. New Members Joined the Editorial Board in 2024

Figure 6. 2024 New Editorial Board of Country Distribution

3. Special Issues

In 2024, Microstructures organized 14 Special Issues with 46 scholars, addressing key research areas [Figure 7] such as mechanical properties of composites, solid-state batteries, metal halide perovskite materials, biological nanomaterials and heterostructures. These topics hold great potential for attracting high-quality submissions and valuable authors to the journal. More importantly, these Special Issues provided a platform for sharing cutting-edge research and insights, fostering meaningful discussions within the field of microstructures.

Figure 7. Covers of Special Issues

4. Activity

4.1 Frontiers Forum

In 2024, Microstructures successfully held three frontier forums on the following topics:

• Super-Resolution 4D-STEM [Figure 8]
• Atomic Structure-Properties Study of Defects in Emerging 2D Materials [Figure 9]
• Sustainable Energy System Consisting of Superconductor Wind Turbine Generator-energy Storage-hydrogen Energy [Figure 10]

We look forward to collaborating with more scholars on various important topics for Forums. For more information, visit Microstructures Webinars.

Figure 8. Super-Resolution 4D-STEM

Figure 9. Atomic Structure-Properties Study of Defects in Emerging 2D Materials

Figure 10. Sustainable Energy System Consisting of Superconductor Wind Turbine Generator-energy Storage-hydrogen Energy

4.2 Conferences

In 2024, Microstructures successfully partnered with four international conferences:

• The First International Conference on Microstructures of Materials [Figure 11]
• The 15th International Conference on Atomically Controlled Surfaces, Interfaces and Nanostructures [Figure 12]
• The Chinese Materials Conference 2024 & The 2nd World Materials Conference [Figure 13]
• The Hong Kong Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy 2024 [Figure 14]

During the ICMM 2024, we also organized the Editorial Board meeting of Microstructures, discussing key issues influencing the journal's development. These conferences provided an opportunity to meet with collaborators, build relationships with other scholars, and engage in discussions on the latest technological advances in the field. Through these activities, we have strengthened our ties with the academic community, expanded our cooperation network, and generated new momentum for the journal’s development. The promotion at these conferences has been instrumental in enhancing the visibility and support of Microstructures within the scientific community.

Figure 11. The First International Conference on Microstructures of Materials (ICM2024)

Figure 12. 15th International Conference on Atomically Controlled Surfaces, Interfaces and Nanostructures (ACSIN-15)

Figure 13. Chinese Materials Conference 2024 & The 2nd World Materials Conference

Figure 14. Hong Kong Advanced Transmission Electron Microscopy 2024

5. Citations

In 2024, Microstructures achieved a significant development milestone by joining the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) database on June 6th, 2024 [Figure 15]. This inclusion represents a Breakthrough for the journal, affirming its professional recognition. Microstructures is set to receive its first impact factor in 2025, marking its participation in journal rankings.

Figure 15. The Notification Email Regarding the Inclusion in ESCI

As of January 17th 2025, the journal has accumulated 887 citations in Web of Science (WoS) and 1078 citations on Google Scholar. Articles published in 2022 and 2023 were cited 549 times in 2024. Our goal is to maximize the academic impact of our articles and expand their reach within our field. Below is the list of the top 10 most cited articles on Google Scholar [Table 1].

Table 1. The top 10 most cited articles on Google Scholar

Table 2 presents a list of journals that have cited Microstructures, each with a citation h-index exceeding 10, along with the frequency of citations from each journal. We are pleased to see our papers cited by top-tier journals, although there is still potential for increased citation times.

Table 2. Contribution of related journals (IF 10+) to citations of Microstructures in 2024 (IF>10)

Reflecting on 2024, we are grateful for the achievements of Microstructures. It is a rising star in the field of materials science, focusing on microstructure characterization, advanced materials science, and computational analysis. Through collaborations with global scholars, we have published influential research papers that have gained international recognition. We extend our thanks to all contributors for their hard work, and our editorial team and reviewers for their expertise and dedication. Looking forward, Microstructures aspires to further growth and breakthroughs in materials science and engineering. We deeply appreciate your continuous in shaping a bright future for the journal.

Editor: Tian Yao
Language Editor: Emma Chen
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Microstructures