Topics published in the journal are presented from the view of the impact that materials research has on other scientific disciplines such as (for example) physics, chemistry, and biology.

Coverage in this journal encompasses fundamental research and applications from synthesis to processing, and from structure to composition.

Coverage also includes basic research and applications of properties and performance of materials.

Materials are specifically described as "substances in the condensed states (liquid, solid, colloidal)", and which are "designed or manipulated for technological ends.

The readership for this journal are scientists, in both academia and industry involved in either developing materials or working with materials-related concepts.