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Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects is an international peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier focusing on colloid science and interfacial engineering. Researchers preparing submissions must navigate its scope boundaries, technical formatting rules, and desk-rejection standards.
What It Is
Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects (ISO 4 title abbreviation: Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp.) is a peer-reviewed research journal dedicated to colloidal phenomena and surface chemistry. Founded in 1980 as Colloids and Surfaces, the title split in 1993 (Vol. 70, no. 1) into Part A (physicochemical and engineering aspects) and Part B (biointerfaces) to accommodate growing specialization in interfacial disciplines.
The journal is cataloged internationally under Print ISSN 0927-7757 and Electronic ISSN 1873-4359, with an NLM Unique ID of 9891752. Crossref records over 34,800 registered DOIs for the publication. It operates as a hybrid journal, giving authors the option of publishing under traditional subscription access at zero cost or selecting Gold Open Access for an article publishing charge.
| Specification | Details | Primary Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Full Journal Title | Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects | NLM Catalog (ID: 9891752) |
| ISO 4 Abbreviation | Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp. | NLM / ISSN Registry |
| Print ISSN | 0927-7757 | NLM Catalog / Crossref |
| Electronic ISSN | 1873-4359 | Crossref / OpenAlex |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (Amsterdam, Netherlands) | Elsevier / NLM Catalog |
| First Issue (Part A) | 1993 (Vol. 70, no. 1; continuation of Colloids and Surfaces) | NLM Catalog Record |
| Publishing Model | Hybrid (Subscription and optional Gold Open Access) | Elsevier Journal Overview |
| Gold Open Access APC | $3,200 USD (excluding taxes) | OpenAlex / Elsevier APC Schedule |
| Registered Works | Over 34,800 DOIs | Crossref Registry |
| Submission System | Editorial Manager (Elsevier) | Elsevier Guide for Authors |
Who Runs It and What It Covers
The journal is published by Elsevier BV and guided by Coordinating Editors, Executive Editors, and an international Editorial Advisory Board in physical chemistry and chemical engineering.
The technical scope focuses on fundamental and applied interfacial science:
- Emulsions, Foams, and Suspensions: Formulation, stability mechanisms, phase transitions, Pickering stabilization, and destabilization kinetics.
- Surfactants and Self-Assembly: Micellization thermodynamics, lyotropic liquid crystals, vesicles, and adsorption dynamics of synthetic or bio-based amphiphiles.
- Surface Forces and Wetting: Contact angle dynamics, interfacial rheology, surface tension, thin films, and atomic force microscopy force measurements.
- Colloidal Nanomaterials: Synthesis, interfacial functionalization, dispersion stability, and self-assembly of nanoparticles and 2D materials.
- Engineering Applications: Mineral flotation, enhanced oil recovery, environmental separation, membrane processes, and wastewater clarification.
The editorial board enforces strict desk-rejection criteria. Submissions presenting routine applications or empirical curve-fitting—such as fitting heavy-metal or dye removal data to Langmuir or Freundlich isotherms without advancing interfacial chemical mechanisms—are rejected without external review. In addition, biological and cellular studies (such as drug cytotoxicity or tissue engineering) fall outside Part A and belong in Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces.
How to Search or Use It
Authors and researchers interacting with the journal should follow these verified steps based on official publisher documentation:
- Access the ScienceDirect Journal Hub: Navigate to the ScienceDirect homepage for the journal to browse recent volumes, articles in press, and open access papers.
- Check Technical Scope Fit: Verify that the research provides physicochemical or engineering mechanistic insights rather than routine observational data, consulting the publisher author guidelines.
- Prepare Required Manuscript Sections: Structure the document to include Title, Abstract, Graphical Abstract, Highlights, Keywords, Introduction, Experimental Methods, Results and Discussion, Conclusions, and References.
- Format Citations in Numbered Style: Apply Elsevier numbered citation style using square brackets (e.g., [1], [1, 2], [1–3]) in sequential order of appearance, with ISO 4 journal abbreviations in the bibliography.
- Draft the Mandatory Cover Letter: Write a concise cover letter that explicitly articulates the novel contribution and its significance to colloid science, following standard journal cover letter conventions.
- Submit via Editorial Manager: Log into the Elsevier Editorial Manager portal for the journal, upload manuscript text, graphics files (minimum 300 DPI), supplementary data, and suggested reviewers.
- Select Publishing Model: Upon acceptance, choose between subscription publication (zero author charge) or Gold Open Access with a CC BY or CC BY-NC-ND license upon payment of the $3,200 APC, reviewing institutional funding terms and article processing charges (APCs).
- Track Editorial Progress: Monitor the manuscript through the Elsevier peer review workflow in Editorial Manager. Editorial triage is typically completed in 7 days, with peer review rounds averaging 4 to 7 weeks.
Strengths and Limits
The journal presents specific operational strengths and limitations for prospective authors:
Strengths
- Extensive Global Reach: Over three decades of publication history with more than 35,000 indexed works and 909,000 citations recorded in OpenAlex.
- No Mandatory Fees: The hybrid model allows authors without open access grants to publish without author-facing fees under subscription terms.
- Fast Initial Screening: Median desk-review turnaround of approximately 7 days provides prompt feedback on scope suitability.
- Broad Interfacial Visibility: Strong reputation across chemical engineering, physical chemistry, and materials science communities.
Limits
- High Desk Rejection Rate: Papers featuring routine isotherm fitting or incremental adsorbent characterization are promptly rejected.
- Competitive Acceptance: Overall peer acceptance rate is moderate at approximately 26%.
- Substantial Gold APC: The $3,200 USD open access fee requires grant support or institutional transformative agreements.
- Scope Separation: Biomaterial and cellular investigations require redirection to Part B, risking submission delays if misrouted.
Alternatives
The table below summarizes alternative peer-reviewed journals covering colloid, interfacial, and surface science:
| Journal Title | Publisher | Publishing Model | Core Focus & Scope Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects | Elsevier | Hybrid ($3,200 APC or Subscription) | Physicochemical mechanisms, engineering applications, emulsions, dispersions, and non-biological interfaces. |
| Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces | Elsevier | Hybrid ($3,450 APC or Subscription) | Biomaterials, cellular interfaces, liposomes, biomedical coatings, and physiological colloidal phenomena. |
| Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (JCIS) | Elsevier | Hybrid ($3,900 APC or Subscription) | High-impact fundamental research spanning the full breadth of colloid and interfacial phenomena. |
| Langmuir | American Chemical Society (ACS) | Hybrid ($4,500 APC or Subscription) | Fundamental chemical and physical principles of interfaces, self-assembly, and surface nanostructures. |
| Advances in Colloid and Interface Science | Elsevier | Hybrid ($4,000 APC or Subscription) | Critical review articles evaluating theoretical advances and state-of-the-art interfacial methodologies. |
FAQ
What is the official ISO abbreviation for Colloids and Surfaces A?
The standard ISO 4 title abbreviation is Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Asp. In the NLM Catalog, the MEDLINE title abbreviation is recorded as Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp without interior periods.
Does Colloids and Surfaces A charge an author publication fee?
No mandatory publishing charge applies. Authors may choose the traditional subscription route to publish at zero cost. Authors electing Gold Open Access pay an article processing charge of $3,200 USD (subject to institutional discounts and waiver policies).
What is the difference between Colloids and Surfaces A and Colloids and Surfaces B?
Part A focuses on physical-chemical mechanisms, materials science, and engineering aspects of non-biological colloidal and interfacial systems. Part B (Biointerfaces) covers interfacial science related to biological systems, including biomolecules, cells, drug delivery systems, and biocompatible materials.
Why does Colloids and Surfaces A desk-reject routine adsorption isotherm papers?
The journal requires new mechanistic insights into surface interactions. Papers that simply fit adsorption data to Langmuir or Freundlich models using uncharacterized biomass or standard adsorbents—without detailing surface thermodynamics, bonding, or interfacial forces—do not meet the novelty standard.
How can authors verify current impact metrics for the journal?
Authors can look up journal impact factors via Clarivate Journal Citation Reports and Scopus CiteScore tables. The journal currently maintains a Journal Impact Factor of approximately 5.4 and a CiteScore of approximately 9.9.
Sources
- National Library of Medicine (NLM) Catalog: Record for Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects (NLM Unique ID: 9891752). Read November 9, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/9891752
- Crossref Journal Registry: Record for ISSN 0927-7757 (Colloids and Surfaces A Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects). Read November 9, 2026. https://api.crossref.org/journals/0927-7757
- OpenAlex Scholarly Metadata: Source Entity S94313546 (Colloids and Surfaces A Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects). Read November 9, 2026. https://api.openalex.org/sources/S94313546
- Elsevier ScienceDirect: Guide for Authors and Aims & Scope for Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. Read November 9, 2026. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/colloids-and-surfaces-a-physicochemical-and-engineering-aspects
