1. Authorship
2. Corresponding Author Responsibilities
3. Contributorship and Acknowledgements
4. Author Contributions Statement
5. Guest-Edited Collections of Special/Thematic Issues
6. Editorial Processes
7. Policy on Misconduct Investigations
8. Peer Review Process
9. Editorial Independence
10. Confidentiality in the Publication Process
11. License Agreement and Copyright Policy
12. Open Access Policy
13. No Parallel, Duplicate, or Fragmented Publication
14. Policy on Plagiarism
15. Policy on Fabrication of Data
16. Falsification and Manipulation of Research Data, Images, and Figures
17. Policy on Intellectual Property Rights
18. Policy on Human and Animal Research Ethics Violations
19. Policy on Artificial Intelligence
20. Digital Data Archiving
21. Self-Archiving Policy
22. Conflict of Interest Policy
23. Research Data Policy and Data Availability Statements
24. Acknowledgements
25. Disclosure of Financial Support
26. Ensuring the Integrity of the Academic Record
27. Post-Publication Policies
28. Appeals and Complaints
29. Direct Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorship
30. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy
31. Disclaimer Policy

 

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites is committed to maintaining high standards of academic quality, research integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing. The Journal follows recognized principles of publication ethics and considers the guidance and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when developing and applying its editorial and publication policies. These policies apply to authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, Guest Editors, and other participants involved in the publication process.

1. Authorship

Authorship should accurately reflect substantial intellectual or scholarly contributions to the research and the preparation of the manuscript. Individuals may qualify for authorship when they have made significant contributions to the conception or design of the study; acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; development of software or other essential research tools; drafting of the manuscript; or critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content.

The Journal encourages collaborative and multidisciplinary research and recognizes that research may involve contributors from different institutions, regions, or professional backgrounds. In multi-region or multi-institutional collaborations, authors are expected to apply the authorship criteria fairly and transparently and to ensure that contributions are appropriately recognized.

All individuals listed as authors must have made a meaningful contribution to the work and must be able to take responsibility for their contribution. Individuals who have contributed to the work but do not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately, with their permission.

At least one author must be designated as the corresponding author for a multi-authored manuscript. The corresponding author serves as the principal point of contact with the Journal and is responsible for coordinating communication among the co-authors.

The Journal does not require every author to sign the submission cover letter, nor does it prescribe a particular order of authorship. However, submission of a manuscript constitutes confirmation that all listed authors have approved the submitted version, agree with the authorship order, and have approved any subsequent version submitted for publication.

Any request to add, remove, or reorder authors after submission must be approved by all authors and accompanied by an appropriate explanation. Changes to authorship after acceptance will generally not be permitted. Where an authorship dispute arises, the Journal may request that the matter be resolved by the authors’ institution or another appropriate authority. The Journal does not determine institutional authorship disputes and may suspend consideration or publication of a manuscript where a serious and unresolved authorship dispute affects the integrity of the submission.

2. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

For manuscripts submitted by more than one author, at least one author must be designated as the corresponding author. The corresponding author’s name, institutional affiliation, contact information, ORCID ID and email address will be provided to the Journal and, where applicable, included with the published article. The corresponding author does not necessarily have to be the most senior researcher on the project. Following publication, the corresponding author serves as the principal contact for questions concerning the published article.

The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the Journal on behalf of all co-authors and for coordinating communication among the authors. For large collaborative studies, the Journal may permit more than one corresponding author where justified.

At the time of submission, the corresponding author must ensure that the author list is complete, that the order of authors has been agreed upon by all authors, and that all authors have approved the final submitted manuscript.

Following acceptance, the corresponding author is responsible for coordinating the proof-reading process on behalf of all co-authors. The corresponding author must carefully check the proofs for accuracy, including the title, text, figures, tables, references, author names, affiliations, and contact information, and should ensure that all co-authors have an opportunity to review the final version before publication.

3. Contributorship and Acknowledgements

Not every contribution to a research project qualifies an individual for authorship. Administrative assistance, routine technical support, general supervision, funding or resource provision, language editing, proofreading, or other limited services do not, by themselves, constitute sufficient grounds for authorship. Individuals who have made meaningful contributions but do not satisfy the Journal’s authorship criteria should be recognized in the Acknowledgements section, provided that they have given permission to be acknowledged. Authors are encouraged to describe significant contributions clearly so that the respective roles of all contributors can be understood.

4. Author Contributions Statement

For multi-author manuscripts, the Journal requires an Author Contributions Statement describing the principal contributions made by each author. Depending on the nature of the study, contributions may include conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data collection, validation, software development, formal analysis, project supervision, project administration, writing of the original draft, and intellectual review and editing.

The contribution statement must accurately reflect the work performed by each author. It must not be used to assign authorship to individuals who do not satisfy the Journal’s authorship requirements.

5. Guest-Edited Collections of Special/Thematic Issues

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites may publish Guest-Edited Collections of Special Issues, or Thematic Issues addressing specific, emerging, or high-priority topics within the scope of the Journal. Such collections may be published under the Journal’s open-access model.

All manuscripts submitted to a Special or Thematic Issue are subject to the Journal’s standard editorial, ethical, and peer-review policies. Articles accepted for publication are subject to the applicable Article Processing Charge (APC), unless mentioned otherwise. Acceptance is based on editorial assessment and the required double-blind peer-review process.

Special Issues are generally open to submissions from researchers worldwide, provided that manuscripts are relevant to the theme and fall within the Journal’s scope. Submission to a Special Issue does not guarantee inclusion in that issue.

A manuscript submitted to a Special Issue may be declined for inclusion in the collection if it falls outside the scope or theme of the issue. Where appropriate, and with the author’s consent, such a manuscript may be considered as a regular submission to the Journal.

Guest Editors may be selected from among the Journal’s Editorial Board members or may be recognized experts from relevant fields appointed specifically for the Special or Thematic Issue. Their responsibilities may include developing the issue theme, soliciting suitable submissions, coordinating peer review, and preparing an introductory Editorial. Guest Editors must follow all Journal policies, including those relating to peer review, confidentiality, authorship, competing interests, and research and publication ethics. Guest Editors must not participate in decisions where they have a competing interest.

The Journal’s in-house editors retain the right to assume responsibility for the editorial management of a Special Issue at any stage where this is necessary to protect the quality, integrity, or independence of the publication process.

6. Editorial Processes

The Editorial Board of Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites contributes to the development and continuous improvement of the Journal. Editors are expected to promote a fair, timely, transparent, and unbiased editorial and peer-review process and to protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Editors select appropriate reviewers with relevant subject expertise and take reasonable steps to identify and manage potential conflicts of interest. They also seek expert advice when necessary and remain informed about developments in publication ethics, editorial standards, and technologies relevant to scholarly publishing.

Editorial Board members may provide advice regarding manuscripts, policies, and improvements to the Journal’s publishing processes. Where an internal Editorial Board cannot reach an appropriate conclusion regarding an unusual or complex case, the Editor-in-Chief may be consulted and may seek independent advice from an external scholar or relevant professional.

Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief may also consult COPE regarding complex publication-ethics matters for which applicable guidance is not readily available.

7. Policy on Misconduct Investigations

The Journal takes allegations of research or publication misconduct seriously and is committed to investigating credible concerns fairly, confidentially, and proportionately. Possible forms of misconduct include plagiarism, fabrication or falsification of data, inappropriate image manipulation, duplicate or redundant publication, undisclosed competing interests, authorship manipulation, citation manipulation, peer-review manipulation, unethical research practices, misuse of confidential information, and other conduct that may compromise the integrity of the scholarly record.

When a concern is raised about a submitted or published manuscript, the Journal will conduct an initial assessment to determine whether the concern is sufficiently credible and substantive to warrant further investigation. Authors may be contacted and given an opportunity to provide an explanation, supporting documentation, or original research materials where appropriate.

Where the response is inadequate or the concern cannot be resolved through editorial assessment, the Journal may initiate a more formal investigation and may seek assistance from independent experts, editors, or other appropriate authorities. Where the matter concerns research conduct that falls under the jurisdiction of an institution, employer, funder, regulatory authority, or research-integrity body, the Journal may refer the matter to the relevant institution or authority.

The Journal does not seek to replace formal institutional investigations. Institutions and appropriate research authorities remain responsible for determining whether research misconduct has occurred where such determination requires access to institutional records, laboratory materials, participant information, or other evidence unavailable to the Journal.

For concerns relating to published articles, the Journal may take appropriate editorial action while an investigation is ongoing. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the concern, such action may include publication of an Editor’s Note or Editorial Expression of Concern, correction or clarification of the article, retraction, removal in exceptional circumstances, or notification of the relevant institution or authority.

Investigations will be handled with due regard for confidentiality, fairness, proportionality, and the protection of all parties involved. The Journal will seek to avoid premature conclusions and will distinguish allegations or unresolved concerns from established findings of misconduct.

8. Peer Review Process

All submissions to Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites are subject to double-blind peer review, whereby the identities of authors and reviewers are not disclosed to one another during the review process.

A manuscript that passes the initial editorial assessment and is considered suitable for peer review will normally be evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. Reviewers are selected according to their subject expertise, experience, availability, and suitability for the manuscript. Editors take reasonable steps to identify and avoid conflicts of interest and to obtain objective and unbiased assessments.

Reviewers are normally requested to submit their reports within two weeks. Additional time may be granted where requested in advance and where the extension can be accommodated without unnecessarily delaying the editorial process.

Detailed expectations for reviewers are provided in the Journal’s Guidelines for Reviewers.

9. Editorial Independence

Editorial decisions are based on the scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, relevance, ethical compliance, and overall contribution of the submitted work. The handling editor is responsible for making the editorial decision concerning a manuscript, taking into consideration the peer-review reports and the Journal’s editorial and ethical policies.

Editors must exercise independent professional judgment and must not allow commercial, financial, institutional, personal, political, or other inappropriate considerations to influence editorial decisions.

The Editor-in-Chief may be consulted on editorial matters and may confer with other editors or independent experts when appropriate. Any such consultation must be conducted with due consideration of confidentiality and competing interests.

10. Confidentiality in the Publication Process

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites treats submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and other materials associated with the editorial process as confidential. Editors, reviewers, and editorial staff must protect the confidentiality of unpublished manuscripts and must not disclose information about a submission to anyone who is not authorized to receive it.

Reviewers must treat manuscripts as privileged communications and as the intellectual property of the authors. Reviewers must not publicly discuss, copy, distribute, or otherwise use unpublished information, ideas, methods, or findings obtained through the review process for personal or professional advantage.

If a reviewer believes that consultation with a colleague or specialist is necessary to evaluate a manuscript, prior permission should be obtained from the handling editor. Any approved colleague involved in the review must also maintain confidentiality and should be identified to the Journal where requested.

Reviewers must not retain or distribute copies of manuscripts except where specifically authorized by the Journal. After completing a review, reviewers should securely delete or destroy manuscript copies in accordance with Journal instructions.

Editors and reviewers must not disclose information concerning a manuscript’s receipt, content, status, peer-review process, reviewer comments, editorial decision, or ultimate disposition except to individuals directly involved in the editorial process.

Reviewer reports and confidential editorial correspondence must not be publicly disclosed without appropriate authorization.

The confidentiality obligations associated with the editorial process continue after publication unless disclosure is authorized by the Journal or required by law or a competent legal authority.

Authors are likewise expected to treat confidential communications with the Journal, including reviewer reports and editorial correspondence, appropriately and not to disclose or misuse such material without authorization.

11. License Agreement and Copyright Policy

Articles published by Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, unless otherwise stated for a particular article.

Under this license, users may share, copy, distribute, adapt, and reproduce the published work for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s), the Journal, and the original source of publication. Appropriate attribution should include a citation to the published article and its DOI.

Authors retain copyright in their published articles and may use their work, in whole or in part, for legitimate scholarly and non-commercial purposes in accordance with the applicable license.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts are original and do not infringe the copyright or other intellectual property rights of third parties. Where previously published material, including figures, photographs, tables, or substantial text, is reused, authors must obtain any necessary permission from the relevant copyright holder and provide appropriate attribution.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that potential copyright conflicts have been identified and appropriately addressed before submission.

12. Open Access Policy

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites follows an open-access publishing model designed to facilitate the broad dissemination and accessibility of scholarly research.

Published articles are made freely accessible through the Journal’s website without subscription fees or institutional login requirements. Open access enables researchers, professionals, students, policymakers, and other interested readers to access and use published research without traditional subscription barriers.

The Journal considers open access an important means of increasing the visibility, accessibility, and potential impact of scholarly work and of promoting the global exchange of knowledge.

13. No Parallel, Duplicate, or Fragmented Publication

Manuscripts submitted to Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites must represent original work and must not be simultaneously submitted, in whole or in substantial part, to another journal.

Authors must not submit substantially the same manuscript to multiple journals at the same time. The submission of a manuscript to the Journal constitutes confirmation that the work is not under consideration elsewhere.

Previously published material, including substantially similar work published in another language, should not be presented as original research. If a related article has been published, accepted, or is currently under consideration elsewhere, authors must disclose this information in the cover letter and provide sufficient details for the editors to assess the relationship between the works.

Authors should also avoid redundant or fragmented publication, including “salami publication,” in which a single research project is unnecessarily divided into multiple publications primarily to increase publication output. Where multiple publications arising from the same research project are scientifically justified, authors must clearly disclose the related publications and explain the distinct research question, contribution, dataset, or analysis presented in each manuscript.

The Journal does not accept the submission of manuscripts that have been posted as full articles on authors’ personal or institutional websites where such posting conflicts with the Journal’s publication policy. Prepublished posting is not permitted under the Journal’s current policy. Meeting abstracts may be published or presented before submission of a full manuscript, provided that the abstract is disclosed to the Journal and identified in the cover letter.

If duplicate submission, unauthorized prior publication, or other related malpractice is identified, the Journal may reject the manuscript and may take further action where appropriate.

14. Policy on Plagiarism

The Journal considers plagiarism to include the unauthorized appropriation or substantial unattributed use of another person’s intellectual work, including text, ideas, data, images, results, or other research materials.

Plagiarism includes copying substantial portions of another work without appropriate attribution, presenting another person’s ideas or findings as one’s own, inappropriate paraphrasing without citation, and reproducing one’s own previously published material without adequate acknowledgement where such reuse creates a misleading impression of originality.

All manuscripts submitted to the Journal may be screened for textual similarity using recognized plagiarism-detection software. A similarity score alone does not automatically establish plagiarism, because legitimate similarities may occur through references, standard terminology, methodological descriptions, or other unavoidable language. The Journal will therefore assess the nature, source, extent, and context of detected similarities before determining appropriate action.

Where substantial unattributed copying or other plagiarism is identified, the manuscript may be returned for clarification or revision or rejected, depending on the severity of the concern. Serious cases may be referred to the authors’ institution or relevant authority.

Authors must provide appropriate attribution for all sources used in their work, including text, ideas, figures, images, data, and other intellectual material. Direct quotations must be clearly identified and appropriately referenced.

Where plagiarism is discovered after publication, the Journal will assess the circumstances and may issue a correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction, depending on the seriousness and impact of the misconduct. The relevant institution may also be notified where appropriate.

15. Policy on Fabrication of Data

Fabrication is the invention of data, observations, participants, experiments, results, references, or other research information that did not actually exist.

Fabricated research findings must not be submitted or published. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all reported research, data, participants, experiments, and results accurately reflect the work actually conducted.

Where credible evidence of fabrication is identified, the Journal may reject the manuscript, withdraw an accepted article, issue an appropriate post-publication notice, or retract a published article. The matter may also be referred to the authors’ institution, employer, funder, or another appropriate authority.

16. Falsification and Manipulation of Research Data, Images, and Figures

Falsification involves deliberately altering, omitting, manipulating, or misrepresenting research materials, procedures, data, images, results, or analytical processes in a manner that produces a misleading representation of the research conducted.

Legitimate data processing, formatting, or image enhancement may be acceptable where it does not alter or obscure the underlying evidence and is consistent with accepted disciplinary practice. Where such adjustments materially affect the presentation or interpretation of the data, they should be appropriately disclosed. Figures, photographs, microscopy images, graphs, charts, and other visual materials must accurately represent the underlying research. Authors must not selectively add, remove, duplicate, obscure, or manipulate visual information in a misleading manner.

Where concerns regarding image or data integrity arise, the Journal may request original image files, raw data, laboratory records, analytical outputs, or other supporting evidence. Serious or deliberate falsification or manipulation may constitute grounds for rejection, withdrawal, retraction, and/or referral to an appropriate institution or authority.

17. Policy on Intellectual Property Rights

The Journal recognizes and respects the intellectual property rights of authors, publishers, institutions, and other rights holders.

Publication of an article in Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites does not transfer or diminish the author’s underlying intellectual property rights beyond the rights granted under the CC BY-NC 4.0license.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted material is original or appropriately licensed and does not unlawfully infringe the intellectual property rights of others. Authors must obtain appropriate permissions for copyrighted third-party material reproduced in their manuscripts.

Third-party material incorporated into a published article remains subject to the copyright, licensing conditions, and other rights applicable to that material.

18. Policy on Human and Animal Research Ethics Violations

Research involving human participants, animals, personal data, or other sensitive materials must comply with applicable ethical requirements, institutional standards, and relevant laws and regulations.

Ethical misconduct may include conducting research without required ethical approval, failing to obtain appropriate informed consent, using personal or confidential information without authorization, failing to comply with applicable animal-welfare requirements, or violating relevant research regulations or ethical standards.

Where ethical concerns are identified, Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites will assess the reliability and seriousness of the evidence and whether the issue occurred before or after publication. Depending on the circumstances, possible actions include requesting clarification or documentation, requiring a correction, suspending editorial consideration, rejecting a manuscript, withdrawing acceptance, publishing an Expression of Concern, issuing a correction, retracting an article, or notifying an appropriate institution or authority.

The Journal seeks to ensure that any action taken is proportionate to the nature of the concern and is consistent with the protection of participants, research integrity, and the reliability of the scholarly record.

19. Policy on Artificial Intelligence

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites recognizes the continuing development of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies and will periodically review this policy as relevant technologies, ethical standards, and publishing practices evolve.

Authors may use AI-assisted tools for limited purposes such as checking grammar, spelling, language, and readability. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and appropriateness of all content submitted to the Journal.

Generative AI tools and large language models, including ChatGPT, must not be treated as authors because they cannot assume responsibility or accountability for the published work. AI systems must not replace the authors’ intellectual contribution, critical analysis, interpretation, or scholarly judgment. Authors must ensure that any AI-generated or AI-assisted content has been critically reviewed and verified.

The use of generative AI to create images, figures, or other visual materials for manuscripts is not permitted under the Journal’s current policy, except where the purpose of the article is specifically to study or discuss AI-generated content and the use is disclosed and assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Non-generative machine-learning or image-processing tools may be used for legitimate scientific processing where appropriate, but any material manipulation or enhancement of original illustrations must be disclosed to the Journal. Such processing must not misrepresent, remove, or fabricate scientific evidence.

Editors and editorial staff may use AI-assisted technologies only where their use does not compromise manuscript confidentiality, editorial independence, or the integrity of the decision-making process. AI must not independently determine whether a manuscript should be accepted, rejected, or revised, and editorial decisions must never be delegated to an AI system.

Editors remain responsible for independently evaluating manuscripts, reviewer reports, ethical concerns, and editorial decisions. Confidential manuscript information, unpublished research material, personal information, or other protected content must not be entered into AI systems where doing so could result in unauthorized disclosure.

All participants in the publishing process must exercise professional judgment when using AI-assisted technologies and must verify AI-generated outputs before relying upon them. The use of AI does not transfer responsibility for scholarly, editorial, or peer-review work to the technology.

The Journal may request clarification concerning AI use where necessary and may take appropriate action where AI has been used deceptively, improperly, or in a manner that compromises research integrity, confidentiality, copyright, or publication ethics.

20. Digital Data Archiving

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites recognizes the importance of preserving published scholarly work and maintaining long-term access to the academic record.

Published content of the Journal is intended to be preserved through digital archiving arrangements, including LOCKSS through the PKP Preservation Network.

The Journal may also make published articles available through relevant indexing and abstracting services in which the Journal is included.

21. Self-Archiving Policy

Authors of Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites are permitted to self-archive the accepted manuscript in appropriate institutional, disciplinary, or other recognized repositories in accordance with the Journal’s self-archiving policy. According to this policy authors must ensure that the self-archived version clearly acknowledges Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites as the original source of publication. Where available, authors should provide a link to the officially published version of the article and it’s DOI.

Self-archiving must not misrepresent the repository version as a separately published article or otherwise undermine the integrity of the official publication record.

22. Conflict of Interest Policy

The Journal recognizes that undisclosed competing interests may undermine confidence in research and editorial decision-making. To preserve transparency, fairness, and editorial independence, all individuals involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editors, Guest Editors, and Editorial Board members—are expected to identify and disclose relationships or circumstances that could reasonably affect, or appear to affect, their professional judgment.

Authors must disclose competing interests that could reasonably be considered relevant to their research or its interpretation. Such interests may include research funding or sponsorship, employment, consultancy arrangements, institutional affiliations, financial relationships, patents or intellectual property interests, advisory positions, and significant personal or professional relationships.

Competing-interest disclosures should be provided at submission and updated if circumstances change during peer review or publication.

Where no competing interests exist, authors may use the statement: “The authors declare that they have no competing interests.”

Editors and reviewers are likewise responsible for identifying circumstances that could interfere with their impartial assessment of a manuscript. An individual should not participate in the review or editorial handling of a manuscript where a conflict could reasonably compromise, or be perceived to compromise, independent judgment. Where necessary, the Journal may appoint an alternative editor or reviewer to maintain an objective and unbiased assessment.

The existence of a competing interest does not automatically constitute grounds for rejection or prevent publication. Disclosed interests will be assessed according to their nature and significance, and the Journal may implement safeguards such as additional editorial review, independent assessment, or an appropriate disclosure statement.

If a relevant competing interest is discovered after submission or publication, the Journal may take proportionate corrective action. Depending on the circumstances, this may include requesting disclosure, publishing a correction or clarification, reconsidering an editorial decision, or taking other appropriate measures to protect the transparency and reliability of the scholarly record.

23. Research Data Policy and Data Availability Statements

Authors are encouraged to make research data underlying their published findings available whenever ethically, legally, and practically possible. Data sharing is particularly encouraged where access to the underlying data would assist readers in understanding, evaluating, reproducing, or extending the research.

Where appropriate, authors may provide datasets as supplementary files or deposit them in a recognized data repository. Authors may provide persistent identifiers such as DOIs, accession numbers, or stable repository links within the manuscript.

Where data cannot be made publicly available for justified reasons, authors should provide a clear Data Availability Statement explaining the restriction and, where appropriate, describing how qualified researchers may obtain access.

Because the Journal follows a double-blind peer-review process, authors should take reasonable steps to remove identifying information from datasets or supplementary materials that are made available to reviewers during the blinded review stage.

Authors may use appropriate anonymization or author-blinding functions provided by repositories when necessary to preserve the integrity of double-blind peer review.

A Data Availability Statement is required whenever research data have been generated, collected, or analyzed. Appropriate wording may include the following:

Data available in a repository:
“The datasets generated and/or analyzed during this study are available in the [NAME] repository at [PERSISTENT LINK/DOI/DATA ACCESSION NUMBER].”

Data available upon reasonable request:
“The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the present study are not publicly available due to [REASON], but may be obtained from the corresponding author on reasonable request, subject to applicable restrictions.”

Data included as supplementary material:
“The data generated and/or analyzed during this study are available as supplementary material accompanying this article.”

24. Acknowledgements

The Acknowledgements section may be used to recognize individuals who made meaningful contributions to the research or preparation of the article but do not meet the Journal’s authorship criteria. Authors should obtain permission from individuals before including their names in the Acknowledgements section.

Financial support should be disclosed in the appropriate Funding or Financial Support statement rather than being listed solely in the Acknowledgements section.

The Acknowledgements section should be concise and should not be used to list individuals who meet the Journal’s authorship criteria. Authors should avoid unnecessary expressions of gratitude or acknowledgements to anonymous individuals, including anonymous reviewers or editors.

25. Disclosure of Financial Support

Authors must disclose financial support received for the research reported in the manuscript and/or for publication of the article.

Funding should be disclosed when a grant or other financial support directly supported the research, experimentation, analysis, or preparation of the article, or when funding was provided specifically to support publication. Funding statements should identify the funding organization and, where applicable, the grant or award number. Authors should also clarify the role of the funder where relevant.

Examples include:

“[Author initials] received support for the research reported in this article from [Funder] [grant number], while [Author initials] received publication support from [Funder] [grant number].” OR, “This article received funding from [Funder] [grant number] to support the research study and/or publication of the article.”

26. Ensuring the Integrity of the Academic Record

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the academic record. Where significant errors, ethical concerns, or research-integrity issues are identified after publication, the Journal will act promptly and proportionately to protect the reliability of the published literature.

Both authors and the Journal have responsibilities in maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Where necessary, the Journal will follow its post-publication procedures and applicable publication-ethics guidance.

Where editors or an investigation determine that a serious error, misleading statement, ethical violation, or other substantive concern affects a published article, the Journal reserves the right to apply the appropriate post-publication action, including correction, Addendum, Expression of Concern, retraction, or removal in exceptional circumstances.

27. Post-Publication Policies

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites is committed to protecting the integrity and reliability of the published scholarly record. Concerns relating to published articles may be raised by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other appropriate parties.

When a credible concern is received, the Journal may contact the authors and request an explanation, supporting documentation, original unprocessed data, or other evidence relevant to the matter. Where necessary, the Journal may consult independent experts or contact the authors’ institution or another appropriate authority. The action taken will depend on the nature, reliability, seriousness, and potential impact of the concern. Possible outcomes include correction, clarification, Addendum, Editor’s Note, Editorial Expression of Concern, retraction, removal in exceptional circumstances, or notification of an appropriate institution or authority.

A manuscript that remains under consideration may be rejected or returned to the authors if a substantive integrity concern is identified.

For a published article, the Journal may publish a correction or Addendum, an Editorial Expression of Concern, or a retraction, depending on the circumstances. Where an institutional investigation is necessary, the relevant institution may also be notified.

Investigations may require considerable time, particularly where original data must be obtained, external experts consulted, or institutional procedures completed. Where appropriate, the Journal may publish an Editor’s Note or Editorial Expression of Concern while an investigation is ongoing in order to alert readers to a significant unresolved concern.

27.1 Article Corrections

Authors are responsible for promptly notifying Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites if they identify a scientifically significant error or inaccuracy in their published article, particularly where the error may affect the interpretation of the data, reliability of the findings, or understanding of the article. Authors are expected to cooperate fully with the Journal in assessing and correcting the identified error. The Editor-in-Chief or designated editor will determine the significance of the error and the appropriate editorial action.

Where appropriate, an Author Correction may be published to correct an error originating from the authors. A Publisher Correction may be issued where an error introduced during the editorial, production, or publication process has a significant effect on the accuracy, integrity, or presentation of the published article or the publication record.

Where feasible, the original article will be corrected and linked bidirectionally to the published correction notice. The correction notice will identify the error and describe the amendment. Where changes affect figures, tables, data points, curves, or other substantive material, sufficient information will be provided to ensure transparency regarding the correction.

Where the original article cannot appropriately be amended, the article may remain unchanged while being linked bidirectionally to the relevant correction notice.

27.2 Addenda

An Addendum may be published when significant additional information becomes available after publication and is necessary for the reader’s proper understanding of the article.

The Addendum will be linked to the original article and the original publication record will be appropriately updated to indicate the existence of the additional information.

27.3 Editor’s Note and Editorial Expression of Concern

Where a published article is under investigation, the Journal may publish an Editor’s Note or Editorial Expression of Concern where appropriate.

An Editor’s Note may be used to inform readers that the Journal has initiated an inquiry or is assessing a concern relating to a published article. An Editorial Expression of Concern (EEoC) may be published when serious concerns have been raised about the integrity, reliability, or ethical basis of a published article and the investigation has not yet reached a final conclusion.

Once an investigation has been completed, the Journal will take the appropriate final action, which may include a correction, Addendum, retraction, or removal where justified.

27.4 Article Retraction

Retraction may be considered where serious problems are identified after publication that substantially affect the reliability, integrity, or ethical acceptability of an article.

Circumstances that may justify retraction include major errors in conducting, analyzing, or reporting research; plagiarism; duplicate or redundant publication; fabricated or falsified data; serious image manipulation; fraudulent claims of authorship; serious ethical violations; or other forms of misconduct that invalidate or seriously undermine the published work.

A retracted article will normally remain accessible as part of the scholarly record but will be clearly marked as “Retracted.” A retraction notice explaining the reason for the retraction will be published and linked to the original article. The purpose of retraction is to correct the scholarly record and ensure that readers are clearly informed that the conclusions or content of the article should no longer be considered reliable for the purposes identified in the retraction notice.

27.5 Article Removal

Article removal is reserved for exceptional circumstances in which continued public availability of the article creates serious legal, ethical, privacy, or immediate public-health risks that cannot appropriately be addressed through correction or retraction.

Such circumstances may include material that is defamatory or unlawful, serious infringement of third-party privacy or legal rights, or content presenting a serious and immediate risk of harm. Removal may also be considered where required by a valid court or governmental order. Where an article is removed, its bibliographic metadata, including the title and author information, will normally remain part of the publication record. A notice will explain, to the extent legally permissible, why the article was removed.

28. Appeals and Complaints

Authors may appeal an editorial decision where they believe that a significant procedural error, misunderstanding, or substantive issue affected the decision. Appeals should be submitted to the relevant handling editor at appeals_and_complaints@openhorizonglobal.com and should clearly explain the grounds for reconsideration and provide supporting information where appropriate.

Appeals are considered separately from the routine processing of new and active submissions. Because editorial teams must prioritize manuscripts currently under consideration, appeals may require additional time to process.

The relevant editorial team will review the appeal and determine whether the original decision should be reconsidered. An appeal may result in confirmation of the original decision, further editorial assessment, or, where justified, reconsideration of the manuscript.

If an appeal is successful, the authors will be informed of the next stage in the editorial process.

Complaints concerning editorial procedures, excessive delays, communication, peer-review processes, or other aspects of the Journal’s operations may be submitted through appeals_and_complaints@openhorizonglobal.com. Complaints will be considered by the relevant editor and, where appropriate, by members of the editorial or publishing team.

The Journal will seek to respond appropriately to substantiated complaints and, where necessary, use feedback to improve its editorial procedures and publishing practices.

29. Direct Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorship

At present, Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites does not engage in direct marketing activities or publish advertisements or sponsored content.

The Journal may review this position in the future as its publishing activities develop. Any future advertising, sponsorship, or marketing arrangements will be subject to appropriate safeguards to protect editorial independence and prevent commercial interests from influencing editorial decisions.

30. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and equitable scholarly publishing environment. It values diversity of perspectives, disciplines, institutions, geographical backgrounds, and professional experiences and seeks to ensure that authors, reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, and other contributors are treated fairly and respectfully.

Editorial and peer-review decisions are based on scholarly merit, originality, methodological quality, relevance, research integrity, and ethical standards. The Journal does not discriminate on the basis of personal characteristics, institutional affiliation, nationality, geographical location, academic status, or other characteristics unrelated to the scholarly quality and ethical integrity of the work. All participants in the publishing process are expected to communicate professionally and to avoid discriminatory, harassing, threatening, or exclusionary conduct.

The Journal encourages broad and equitable participation in its editorial and reviewer communities and seeks, where practicable, to promote diversity in the composition of its Editorial Board and reviewer pool. Concerns regarding discrimination, inequitable treatment, harassment, or other inappropriate conduct may be reported to the editorial office. Such concerns will be treated confidentially and addressed appropriately.

31. Disclaimer Policy

Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites strives to ensure that published content meets appropriate standards of academic quality, accuracy, and research integrity. Nevertheless, the views, interpretations, findings, methods, and conclusions expressed in published articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Journal, its editors, Editorial Board members, or publisher.

Publication of an article does not constitute endorsement by Advanced Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites or the publisher, Open Horizon Global of the methods, products, services, organizations, policies, or opinions discussed by the authors.

Readers are responsible for exercising their own professional and scholarly judgment when evaluating or applying information published in the Journal. The Journal and the publisher do not accept responsibility for loss, damage, or other consequences arising from the use, application, or interpretation of information contained in published articles, to the extent permitted by applicable law.