PHENOMENAL RISENature Reviews Materials and the New Materials Science

When Springer Nature launched Nature Reviews Materials in 2016, the materials science community was skeptical that yet another review journal could find a foothold in a crowded publishing landscape. Within a few short years, that skepticism had evaporated. With an impact factor of 83.3, Nature Reviews Materials has not only found its place — it has come to dominate materials science publishing, attracting the most significant review articles and the field’s most accomplished authors.

The journal’s success reflects a broader transformation in materials science. As the field has expanded beyond its traditional boundaries — incorporating elements of chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, and computer science — the need for a review journal that could synthesize this interdisciplinary richness became acute. Nature Reviews Materials was designed to meet precisely this need, and its extraordinary citation metrics are a testament to how well it has fulfilled its mission. Its ISSN is 2058-8437.

METRICS BREAKDOWNDeconstructing the 83.3 Score

An impact factor of 83.3 is exceptional by any standard. In materials science, where citation cultures tend to be smaller than in biomedicine, such a figure is almost unprecedented for a journal launched so recently. The metric reflects the journal’s success in publishing reviews that serve as entry points for researchers entering new subfields, as reference works for experienced investigators, and as educational resources for students and trainees.

The CiteScore of 88.2 from Scopus provides independent validation of this extraordinary citation performance. That the CiteScore exceeds the impact factor is particularly notable: it indicates that Nature Reviews Materials articles continue to accumulate citations over extended periods, well beyond the two-year window used for the impact factor calculation. This pattern is consistent with the foundational role that materials science reviews often play in the literature.

SCOPUS & SJR PERSPECTIVESThe Prestige Dimension

The SJR of 22.8 places Nature Reviews Materials among the most prestigious journals in all of science, not just materials science. This metric weights citations by the selectivity of the citing journal, meaning that citations in Nature, Science, Cell, and other elite publications contribute more heavily to the score. An SJR of 22.8 indicates that Nature Reviews Materials is cited extensively by the most selective and influential journals across multiple disciplines — a remarkable achievement for a journal focused on a single scientific domain.

The h-index of 85 further demonstrates the journal’s rapid accumulation of influential publications. Despite its youth, Nature Reviews Materials has already published at least 85 papers that have each been cited 85 or more times. This metric reflects both the journal’s editorial acumen in selecting high-impact topics and the exceptional quality of the authors it attracts.

EDITORIAL SCOPEThe Materials Science Frontier

Nature Reviews Materials publishes reviews across the full spectrum of contemporary materials science: energy materials (batteries, solar cells, fuel cells, supercapacitors), electronic and photonic materials (semiconductors, 2D materials, quantum dots), soft matter (polymers, gels, liquid crystals), biomaterials (implants, drug delivery, tissue engineering), nanomaterials (nanoparticles, nanocomposites, nanofabrication), structural materials (metals, ceramics, composites), catalytic materials, materials for water and environmental remediation, and materials informatics and machine learning.

A distinctive editorial priority is the publication of reviews that connect materials science to global challenges. Reviews on battery materials, for example, are expected to address not only electrochemical performance but also scalability, sustainability, and supply chain considerations. This applied orientation broadens the readership and citation base beyond traditional materials scientists to include engineers, policymakers, and industry researchers.

PUBLISHING IN NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALSAuthor Guidance

Nature Reviews Materials publishes commissioned review articles. The editorial team identifies emerging topics and invites leading researchers to contribute. Authors interested in proposing a review should contact the editors with a detailed outline that explains the topic’s significance, its interdisciplinary connections, and its potential to shape future research directions.

Successful reviews in Nature Reviews Materials are comprehensive yet focused, critically evaluating the literature while identifying unresolved questions and future opportunities. High-quality visual materials — crystal structures, electron micrographs, device schematics, performance charts — are essential. Authors should aim for reviews that will be cited for years as definitive references in their areas.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSFAQ About Nature Reviews Materials