Journal profile · Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Synthetic Metals
ISSN 0379-6779 · eISSN 1879-3290 · Elsevier BV · SWITZERLAND · Monthly · Founded 1979
Synthetic Metals: CAS Zone 3 · Materials Science (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.51; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,390; review about 81 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: about 50%; 205 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Synthetic Metals is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 3 of Materials Science in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Conducting polymers and applications, Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics and Organic and Molecular Conductors Research, together about 42.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Electrical and Electronic Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Synthetic Metals publishes research on the physics, chemistry and applications of organic and carbon electronic materials such as electronic polymers and electronic molecular materials including novel carbon architectures. The journal aims to advance the field of materials publishing articles which significant in the following areas:conducting and semiconducting polymers and molecular materialsfullerenes, carbon nanotubes, related novel carbon architectures and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS)supramolecular conjugated architecturesnanoscale electronic molecular and electronic polymer materialsorganic charge-transfer compounds and metal chain compoundsfunctional pi-conjugated systemsorganic-inorganic electroactive hybrids including perovksitesmolecular- and polymer-based magnets and ferroelectricsThe journal publishes original research papers, short communications and reviews. Original research papers and short communications should present a significant advance in the understanding or application of these materials and/ or devices made from them. Experimental, theoretical and application papers on the chemistry, physics and engineering of these materials and their electrical, photonic and magnetic properties are encouraged for submission. Papers on electronic, optoelectronic, electroluminescent, lasing, solar cell, sensor, actuator, biological and other potential applications of these materials are also welcome.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Russell HolmesPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 17%); most named Mainland China 5, France 5, Brazil 4, United States 3, India 2 (30 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Conducting polymers and applicationsMaterials Science22.1%
- Organic Electronics and PhotovoltaicsEngineering13.1%
- Organic and Molecular Conductors ResearchMaterials Science7.6%
- Analytical Chemistry and SensorsChemical Engineering6.5%
- Organic Light-Emitting Diodes ResearchEngineering6.2%
- Magnetism in coordination complexesMaterials Science5.7%
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting MaterialsEngineering4.3%
- Electrochemical sensors and biosensorsEngineering4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Condensed Matter | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Condensed Matter | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Materials Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Materials Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Condensed Matter | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Polymer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Materials Science, Multidisciplinary | Zone 4 |
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
- 4.51LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 4.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 8.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.67LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.73LetPub ·
- h-index
- 132LetPub ·
- h-index
- 188OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 10,725OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.22OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 7.77%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 185LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 21,476 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 202 | 32 | 131 |
| 2025 | 205 | 18 | 733 |
| 2024 | 219 | 34 | 1,777 |
| 2023 | 216 | 29 | 3,249 |
| 2022 | 207 | 20 | 3,504 |
| 2021 | 243 | 34 | 4,734 |
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
81 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 5.3 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 5.3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 33 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 81 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 daysPublisher 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 3,390 / EUR 3,170 / GBP 2,710 / JPY 420,460 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,650 | — | — |
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)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access
- Open access Open Access
Article Publishing Charge (APC): USD 3,650 (excluding taxes). The amount you pay may be reduced during submission if applicable.Review this journal’s open access policy.
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 BV
- Country or region
- SWITZERLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1979
- ISSN
- 0379-6779
- Electronic ISSN
- 1879-3290
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Synthetic Metals
What CAS zone is Synthetic Metals in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Synthetic Metals is in Zone 3 of Materials Science, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Physics, Condensed Matter / Polymer Science / Materials Science, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Materials Science. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Synthetic Metals?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.51; CiteScore 8.6, h-index 188.
How long does peer review take at Synthetic Metals?
The publisher reports about 81 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 5.3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “about 50%”. 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Synthetic Metals based?
Of the 30 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 17%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (5), France (5) and Brazil (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Synthetic Metals?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Synthetic Metals is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Synthetic Metals open access, and what is the APC?
Synthetic Metals is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,390.
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: .