Journal profile · Polymer Science
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS
ISSN 1381-5148 · eISSN 1873-166X · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Monthly · Founded 1995
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS: CAS Zone 3 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 5.37; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,920; review about 80 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy (Elsevier website: 23%); 395 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 3 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization, Synthesis and properties of polymers and Conducting polymers and applications, together about 21.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Polymers and Plastics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
An International Journal devoted to their Science and TechnologyReactive & Functional Polymers provides a forum to disseminate original ideas, concepts and developments in the science and technology of polymers with functional groups, which impart specific chemical reactivity or physical, chemical, structural, biological, and pharmacological functionality. The scope covers organic polymers, acting for instance as reagents, catalysts, templates, ion-exchangers, selective sorbents, chelating or antimicrobial agents, drug carriers, sensors, membranes, and hydrogels. This also includes reactive cross-linkable prepolymers and high-performance thermosetting polymers, natural or degradable polymers, conducting polymers, and porous polymers.Original research articles must contain thorough molecular and material characterization data on synthesis of the above polymers in combination with their applications. Applications include but are not limited to catalysis, water or effluent treatment, separations and recovery, electronics and information storage, energy conversion, encapsulation, or adhesion.Full-length papers, perspectives and review articles will be considered. We welcome cutting-edge, original research within our scope. Modelling and simulation work will be considered only when linked to new or previously published experimental results. Lack of originality and novelty, insufficient molecular characterisation, or poor comparison with the current state of the art are reasons for rejection.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Polymer Science
Editor-in-chief Alexander BismarckPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 13 in mainland China (about 25%); most named Mainland China 13, United Kingdom 8, Japan 6, United States 5, France 3 (53 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Advanced Polymer Synthesis and CharacterizationChemistry7.5%
- Synthesis and properties of polymersMaterials Science7.4%
- Conducting polymers and applicationsMaterials Science6.9%
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and propertiesMaterials Science6.1%
- Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology5.6%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance5%
- Polymer composites and self-healingMaterials Science4.8%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering4.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Chemical | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Engineering, Chemical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Applied | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Engineering, Chemical | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview 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
- 5.37LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.4Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 8.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.79LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.85LetPub ·
- h-index
- 87LetPub ·
- h-index
- 129OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,578OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.94OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 13.49%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 379LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 6,001 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 258 | 57 | 188 |
| 2025 | 395 | 63 | 1,965 |
| 2024 | 254 | 69 | 2,328 |
| 2023 | 243 | 38 | 3,884 |
| 2022 | 264 | 34 | 5,043 |
| 2021 | 273 | 41 | 6,660 |
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
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
80 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 1.7 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1.7 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 23%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 6 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 38 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 80 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 3,920 / EUR 3,670 / GBP 3,140 / JPY 486,200 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,270 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare3 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
Article types accepted5
- full-length papersFull-length papers, perspectives and review articles will be considered.Length not stated
- perspectivesFull-length papers, perspectives and review articles will be considered.Length not stated
- reviewContributions have to present thorough molecular and material characterisation data, and may deal with the synthesis of the above polymers or with their applica…Length not stated
- review articleContributions have to present thorough molecular and material characterisation data, and may deal with the synthesis of the above polymers or with their applica…Length not stated
- review articlesFull-length papers, perspectives and review articles will be considered. However, authors intending to write a review should contact an Editor first. Uninvited …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, 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 ·- 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
Preprint sharing allowed 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
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1995
- ISSN
- 1381-5148
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-166X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS
What CAS zone is REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS is in Zone 3 of Engineering, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Polymer Science / Chemistry, Applied / Engineering, Chemical. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.37; CiteScore 8.6, h-index 129.
How long does peer review take at REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS?
The publisher reports about 80 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 1.7 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy (Elsevier website: 23%)”. 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 REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation. 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 REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS based?
Of the 53 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 13 (about 25%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (13), United Kingdom (8) and Japan (6). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS open access, and what is the APC?
REACTIVE & FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,920.
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: .