Journal profile · Polymer Science
Carbohydrate Polymers
ISSN 0144-8617 · eISSN 1879-1344 · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Semimonthly · Founded 1981
Carbohydrate Polymers: CAS Zone 1 · Chemistry (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 13.19; hybrid open access; APC about USD 5,340; median 79 days to acceptance (160 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: 77%; 1,421 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Carbohydrate Polymers is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 1 of Chemistry in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls, Advanced Cellulose Research Studies and Polysaccharides Composition and Applications, together about 30.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Biomaterials. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
A Journal Devoted to Scientific and Technological Aspects of Industrially Relevant PolysaccharidesCarbohydrate Polymers is a major journal within the field of glycoscience, and covers the study and exploitation of polysaccharides which have current or potential application in areas such as bioenergy, bioplastics, biomaterials, biorefining, chemistry, drug delivery, food, health, nanotechnology, packaging, paper, pharmaceuticals, medicine, oil recovery, textiles, tissue engineering and wood, and other aspects of glycoscience.The role of the well-characterized carbohydrate polymer must be the major proportion of the work reported, not a peripheral topic. At least one named carbohydrate polymer must be cited and be the main focus of the paper and its title. Research must be innovative and advance scientific knowledge.Characterization - For all polysaccharides or their derivatives, including those obtained from a supplier, essential structural information which will affect their behavior in the subsequent work should be given, along with a description of how that information was ascertained. Editors are unlikely to send papers for formal review if the glycan is not adequately characterized. Please read the guidelines Characterization of carbohydrates and related products carefully as it contains all relevant information.Hypotheses - Nearly all scientific papers benefit from inclusion of a statement of hypothesis. Such statements should be concise, declarative, and should describe the one or more key hypotheses that the studies upon which the manuscript is based were intended to confirm or refute. Inclusion of a hypothesis statement makes it simple to contrast the hypothesis with the most relevant previous literature and point out what the authors feel is distinct about the current hypothesis (novelty). It also permits the authors to describe why they feel it would be important to prove the hypothesis correct (significance).Topics of interest to the journal: structure-property relationships analytical methods chemical, enzymatic and physical modifications biosynthesis natural functions interactions with other materialsTopics not of interest to the journal: Bibliometric reviews Studies that involve only modelling without any comparison of model results with experimental data, either carried out by the authors or from the literature. biological, physiological and pharmacological aspects of non-carbohydrate molecules attached to, or mixed with, carbohydrate polymers, unless the polysaccharide has a relevant and specific role materials science of biocomposites where there is no mention of any specific carbohydrate polymer, or the role of the carbohydrate polymer is not the major proportion of the study polyalkanoates, polylactic acid, or lignin routine studies of extraction yields without characterisation of the extracted polysaccharide under the different conditions studies of complexation of a drug with a single cyclodextrin studies of newly discovered natural polysaccharides or new polysaccharide derivatives where the structure of the polysaccharide (derivative) is unknown production and isolation of enzymes which act on polysaccharides (studies on the mode of action of an enzyme on a polysaccharide are within the journal scope)carbohydrate oligomers where the degree of polymerization is equal to or less than four treatments of cotton fabrics and cellulose-based paper where the research is largely not about the component cellulose itself use of carbohydrate polymers as a support material (e.g. in enzyme immobilization, chromatography, etc.) where there is no specific involvement of the chemistry of the carbohydrate polymer production of chars from polysaccharides, regardless of the application to which the char will be used. Such manuscripts are out of scope since they do not focus on the science of well-characterized polysaccharidesStudies of routine preparation of polysaccharides such as cellulose nanocrystals or cellulose nanofib
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Polymer Science
Editor-in-chief Tatiana BudtovaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 17 in mainland China (about 19%); most named Mainland China 17, United States 9, France 7, Germany 4, Italy 4 (88 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Polysaccharides and Plant Cell WallsAgricultural and Biological Sciences10.6%
- Advanced Cellulose Research StudiesMaterials Science10.4%
- Polysaccharides Composition and ApplicationsAgricultural and Biological Sciences9.3%
- Nanocomposite Films for Food PackagingMaterials Science8.9%
- Food composition and propertiesNursing6.6%
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical ApplicationsMaterials Science5.7%
- Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5%
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesMaterials Science4.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Chemistry Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Chemistry Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Chemistry Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Organic | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 13.19LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 13.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 23.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 23.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.01LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.98LetPub ·
- h-index
- 172LetPub ·
- h-index
- 344OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 20,948OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 13.07OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.6%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 16.6%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,256LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 27,022 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 913 | 191 | 1,399 |
| 2025 | 1,421 | 285 | 15,115 |
| 2024 | 1,256 | 369 | 30,406 |
| 2023 | 1,045 | 258 | 41,781 |
| 2022 | 1,254 | 242 | 59,730 |
| 2021 | 1,327 | 242 | 79,482 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
79 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 62 days – 101 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 2 days (160 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 81 days
- Sample
- 160 articles with submission and acceptance dates (2,985 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2.2 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 77%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 31 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 89 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 5,340 / EUR 5,000 / GBP 4,280 / JPY 662,320 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 5,230 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 200 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 3
- Reference style
- APA
- Graphical abstract
- Required
Article types accepted4, with length limits
- letters to the editorWe acknowledge the vital role of post-publication commentary in fostering scientific dialogue regarding published research. Such commentary can include challeng…main text ≤ 800 words
- original full-length research papersOriginal full-length research papers should contain material that has not been previously published elsewhere, except in a preliminary form. These papers should…Length not stated
- reviewReview papers will be accepted in areas of topical interest and will normally emphasize literature published over the previous five years. They should not excee…main text ≤ 18,000 words · figures and tables ≤ 20
- review papersReview papers will be accepted in areas of topical interest and will normally emphasize literature published over the previous five years. They should not excee…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Free preprint posting service on SSRN Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1981
- ISSN
- 0144-8617
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-1344
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Carbohydrate Polymers
What CAS zone is Carbohydrate Polymers in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Carbohydrate Polymers is in Zone 1 of Chemistry, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Chemistry, Applied / Chemistry, Organic / Polymer Science; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Chemistry. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Carbohydrate Polymers?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 13.19; CiteScore 23.1, h-index 344.
How long does peer review take at Carbohydrate Polymers?
Based on the dates recorded on 160 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 79 days (interquartile range 62–101 days); authors report an average review time of about 2.2 months; the community-reported acceptance is “77%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Carbohydrate Polymers?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 200 words; Keywords: ≥ 3; Reference style: APA; Graphical abstract: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Carbohydrate Polymers based?
Of the 88 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 17 (about 19%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (17), United States (9) and France (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Carbohydrate Polymers?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Carbohydrate Polymers is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Carbohydrate Polymers open access, and what is the APC?
Carbohydrate Polymers is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 5,340.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .