Journal Guide

Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materialspublishes scientific articles related to the structural science of compounds and materials in the widest sense. Knowledge of the arrangements of atoms, including their temporal variations and dependencies on temperature and pressure, is often the key to understanding physical and chemical phenomena and is crucial for the design of new materials and supramolecular devices. Acta Crystallographica B is the forum for the publication of such contributions. Scientific developments based on experimental studies as well as those based on theoretical approaches, including crystal-structure prediction, structure-property relations and the use of databases of crystal structures, are published.

Acta Crystallographica Section C: Structural Chemistry is continuing its transition to a journal that publishes exciting science with structural content, in particular, important results relating to the chemical sciences. Section C is the journal of choice for the rapid publication of articles that highlight interesting research facilitated by the determination, calculation or analysis of structures of any type, other than macromolecular structures. Articles that emphasize the science and the outcomes that were enabled by the study are particularly welcomed. Authors are encouraged to include mainstream science in their papers, thereby producing manuscripts that are substantial scientific well-rounded contributions that appeal to a broad community of readers and increase the profile of the authors.

Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films, Mechanical Engineering, Biomaterials

Carbohydrate Polymers covers the study and exploitation of polymers of monosaccharides which have current or potential application in areas such as bioenergy, bioplastics, biomaterials, nanotechnology, biorefining, drug delivery, food, chemistry, packaging , paper, pharmaceuticals, medicine, oil recovery, textiles and wood.The role of the well-characterized carbohydrate polymer must be the major proportion of the work reported, not peripheral. At least one named carbohydrate polymer must be cited and be the main focus of the title of the paper, and of the paper itself. Research must be innovative and advance scientific knowledge. Where a polysaccharide is obtained from a supplier, essential structural information which will affect its behavior in the subsequent work should be given. For example, molecular size/viscosity information, mannuronate/glucoronate ration for alginates, degree of esterification for pectin, degree of deacetylation for chitosan. Editors are unlikely to send papers for formal review with a statement such as "sodium alginate was purchased from XXX Inc." unless additional information is supplied. To be acceptable, the paper must include some characterization of the polysaccharide (if not already known) in addition to the application studied. Purity and monosaccharide composition are essential; some molecular size and linkage information is highly desirable.Topics include:• structure and property relationships• analytical methods• chemical, enzymatic and physical modifications• biosynthesis• natural functions• interactions with other materialsExamples of papers which are not appropriate for Carbohydrate Polymers include:• papers which focus on biological, physiological and pharmacological aspects of non-carbohydrate molecules attached to, or mixed with, carbohydrate polymers.• papers on the 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.• papers focusing on polyalkanoates, polylactic acid or lignin.• routine studies of extraction yields without characterisation of the extracted polysaccharide.• routine studies of complexation of a drug with a single cyclodextrin.• applications of new polysaccharides where the structure of the polysaccharide is unknown.• Papers on the 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).• Papers where the degree of polymerization of the saccharide chain is less than four.