The great activity existing in the area of materials in Latin America motivated the creation of the first virtual scientific magazine of this area in 1996. Designed since its creation to be a virtual magazine, Revista Matéria also innovated for offering free access and making possible to append "annexes" to the main text in hyperlinks, since it is not restricted to the publication on paper.

Revista Matéria publishes theoretical, experimental and review scientific articles, on varied subjects in the area of materials, having as target public materials scientists, graduate students and professionals of a host of similar areas. All the articles are submitted to a peer-reviewing process, supported by a knowledgeable Editorial Board and a proprietary automated system to manage the whole reviewing process (SARRA).

Revista Matéria is edited by the Latin American Network on Materials that also publishes the Notimat Bulletin and holds periodically the Matéria Symposium and the Itinerant School of Materials.