Advances in surface engineering continue to play a pivotal role in the development of next-generation materials and devices. By tailoring surface chemistry, morphology, and interfacial interactions at the micro- and nanoscale, researchers are increasingly able to control material behaviour with remarkable precision. Such developments are particularly significant in fields such as flexible electronics, biosensing, optoelectronics, and environmental remediation, where performance is often governed by the properties of material interfaces. The contributions assembled in this SUIN 14(2) issue highlight several emerging strategies in surface functionalisation and nanocomposite design, demonstrating the growing impact of surface engineering across diverse technological applications.Polymer-based nanocomposites remain an important platform for developing multifunctional materials suitable for flexible electronic systems. In this issue, Atta et al.1 report the fabrication of PET/PPy/g-C3N4 nanocomposite films designed for dielectric applications and energy storage devices. By integrating conductive polypyrrole and graphitic carbon nitride within a polyethylene terephthalate matrix, the authors demonstrate significant improvements in dielectric properties and energy density. Structural and morphological analyses confirm the successful formation of homogeneous composite structures that enhance interfacial polarisation and charge storage behaviour, highlighting the potential of hybrid polymer nanocomposites for advanced flexible electronics and capacitor technologies.Surface functionalisation is also central to improving the performance of polymer-based biosensing platforms. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used in microfluidic devices and optical biosensors due to its transparency and biocompatibility; however, its chemically inert surface often limits efficient biomolecule immobilisation. Addressing this challenge, Kang et al.2 present a systematic investigation of oxygen plasma treatment combined with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane silanisation to optimise antibody immobilisation on PMMA substrates. By carefully tuning plasma parameters and silane concentration, the authors demonstrate improved surface hydrophilicity and functional group density, ultimately enhancing antibody binding efficiency and signal-to-noise performance in biosensing devices. Their work provides valuable insights into surface modification strategies for improving the reproducibility and analytical performance of polymer-based bioanalytical platforms.Another contribution in this issue explores the modification of polymer matrices through the incorporation of semiconductor nanoparticles to improve optical performance. Abdeltwab et al.3 investigate PVP/ZnO nanocomposite films and demonstrate how the inclusion of ZnO nanoparticles significantly alters the structural and optical properties of the polymer matrix. The incorporation of ZnO reduces the optical band gap and modifies surface adhesion characteristics, suggesting promising applications in flexible optoelectronic coatings, UV-shielding films and optical devices (Figure 1). The study highlights how nanoparticle–polymer interactions at the interface level can be strategically exploited to tune the electronic and photonic behaviour of hybrid materials.Surface engineering also plays a crucial role in developing environmentally sustainable catalytic systems. In this issue, Jabli et al.4 report the extraction of cellulose fibres from Nerium oleander and their chemical functionalisation with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and nano-zero-valent copper (nZVCu) particles. The resulting EC/PEI/nZVCu nanocomposite exhibits efficient catalytic activity for the reduction of methylene blue dye in aqueous solution, achieving rapid decolourisation under optimised conditions. By combining natural biomass substrates with nanoscale catalysts, this work demonstrates the potential of bio-derived composite materials as cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for wastewater treatment and pollutant remediation.Taken together, the studies presented in this issue demonstrate the breadth of innovation currently occurring in surface engineering. From the development of advanced polymer nanocomposites for electronic and optical applications to the design of functional surfaces for biosensing and environmental remediation, these contributions highlight how precise control of surface properties can unlock new capabilities in materials science.As the field continues to expand, interdisciplinary collaboration between materials scientists, chemists, physicists, and engineers will remain essential for translating laboratory discoveries into practical technologies. The research presented here underscores the growing importance of surface engineering as a unifying approach for addressing challenges across multiple sectors of modern materials science.Finally, readers are reminded that Surface Innovations publishes newly accepted articles ahead of print on the publisher’s Virtual Library, ensuring rapid dissemination of emerging research findings to the scientific community.We extend our sincere thanks to the authors for their valuable contributions, to the reviewers for their rigorous evaluations and constructive feedback, and to the readership for their continued engagement, which supports the advancement of this dynamic and rapidly evolving field.
Mahmud et al. (Wed,) studied this question.