ACS150 JACS Symposium Series: IACS Kolkata

This Collection honors Dr. Ashutosh Sharma, Institute Chair Professor of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur, on the occasion of his retirement. Dr. Sharma’s pioneering work in soft matter, interfacial science, and nanomaterials has significantly advanced both fundamental research and practical applications. His decade-long service as editor of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces was marked by visionary leadership and a commitment to excellence.

The collection showcases selected publications by Dr. Sharma from the ACS AMI family of journals and Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, reflecting the depth and diversity of his scientific contributions. ACS extends its gratitude for his lasting impact on materials science and engineering and invites readers to explore this tribute to his remarkable career.

This Special Issue is dedicated to Prof. Santanu Bhattacharya for his outstanding and pioneering contributions to the fields of Supramolecular Chemistry and Biomaterials Science.

This Special Issue on the Fundamentals of Polymer Colloids brings together cutting-edge research that deepens our understanding of the synthesis, structure, dynamics, and functionality of polymer colloidal systems. Polymer colloids, dispersions of polymer particles in a continuous medium, are foundational to a wide range of applications, from coatings and adhesives to drug delivery and nanomedicine.

This Special Issue highlights advances in emulsion, miniemulsion, and dispersion polymerization techniques, including the use of controlled radical polymerization (e.g., RAFT, MADIX) and bio-derived monomers. Several studies explore the role of surfactants, stabilizers, and macromonomers in tuning colloidal stability, morphology, and film-forming behavior. The integration of renewable materials such as cellulose nanocrystals, starch, and terpene-based monomers reflects a growing emphasis on sustainability in colloid design.

Together, these works provide a comprehensive view of the evolving landscape of polymer colloids, bridging fundamental science with real-world applications.

Machine learning techniques are now an integral part of materials chemistry research, facilitating acceleration of discovery, optimization of synthesis, elucidation of structure-property relationships among other benefits.

This Special Issue from ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, ACS Material Letters, and Chemistry of Materials highlights the breadth of this emerging field and its growing impact across a range of areas of materials chemistry research.

Leading the Special Issue is an Editorial written by ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Executive Editor Prof. Osvaldo Oliveira Jr, ACS Material Letters Associate Editor Prof. Shyue Ping Ong, and Chemistry of Materials Associate Editor Prof. Chad Risko.

This Collection celebrates the innovative contributions of the early career researchers shaping the future of biopolymer science. Here we showcase cutting-edge research across the broad spectrum of biomacromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and synthetic biopolymers.

These featured authors represent a new generation of scientists driving progress in molecular design, bioconjugation, self-assembly, and biomaterials engineering. Their work reflects the diversity of approaches and perspectives that are redefining the boundaries of the field. By highlighting these voices, this Collection aims to foster collaboration, inspire new ideas, and recognize the potential of these researchers to lead transformative advances in biomacromolecular science. We invite readers to explore this dynamic body of work and engage with the next wave of leaders in the community.

Covering diverse themes such as enantioselective synthesis, organocatalysis, cross-coupling reactions, and innovative catalytic methodologies, this Collection of articles demonstrates the creativity and rigor driving modern synthetic chemistry. We extend our sincere appreciation to these authors and to the reviewers for their critical evaluations.