In recent decades, there have been significant advances in the fabrication sector and in the development of various multifunctional nanomaterials to exploit their novel physicochemical and thermodynamic properties. Embedding nanostructured materials in thin films and coatings drastically improves the properties of the material, and different types of oxides, carbides, nitrides, and borides of transition metals have been commonly used to prepare superhard coatings with excellent wear, corrosion, flame retardant, mechanical, and surface properties. In addition to the multilayered structures of oxides, novel carbon nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, carbon fiber, or graphene derivates, have been developed to improve the photocatalytic, sensing, self-healing, and microelectronics properties of the material, as well as providing antibacterial bio-coatings. With the continuously growing risks associated with the depletion of natural energy resources, investigations on sustainable energy and waste recycling are becoming increasingly important, and multifunctional smart coatings will be the key players in these developments. The use of such novel multi-functional and nanomaterials in micro-, nanoelectronics, the power sector, and in biomedical fields is becoming more and more prevalent.

In this aspect, an enormous amount of research has already been conducted and there is much more needed to fully explore functional and nanostructured coatings, their synthesis and engineering, and novel applications. Advanced nanomaterials such as graphene, nanotubes, or quantum dots have opened up new avenues for the manipulation of thermodynamic properties and functions of multifunctional coatings for critical areas such as photovoltaics, magnetics, smart electronics, energy storage, and various biomedical applications.

This Special Issue, therefore, aims to showcase recent advances and developments in this area of multi-functional coatings and nanomaterials. We welcome both original research and review articles that showcase achievements and developments so far and provide future guidance for developments in functional nanomaterials.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
• Conductive polymers
• 3D printing
• Electronic packaging
• Energy materials
• Advanced carbon nanomaterials, such as graphene or carbon nanotubes)
• Machine learning methods, modeling, and simulation studies
• Nanomaterials for biomedical applications
• High entropy functional materials
• Weldabilty of coated materials
• Surface finishing
• Corrosion and degradation
• Electrospun nanofibers