1)  油气管道土壤腐蚀行为机理及控制技术；
2）杂散电流干扰监测、评估及缓解技术；
3）油气材料微生物腐蚀机理及监测方法研究；
4）电活性涂层设计及失效机理研究；
5）阴极保护设计及有效性评估。

发表相关研究论文70余篇，其中SCI收录42篇（其中第一和通讯作者21篇）；授权发明专利12项。在国际学术会议作大会报告12人次、专题报告2次。获美国腐蚀工程师学会（NACE）应用腐蚀技术创新一等奖1项；获国内外期刊优秀论文奖3项。
代表性论文：
[1]L.Y. Zhu, M.C. Yan, W.H. Fan, Y.H. Wei, et al. Inhibiting SRB Corrosion through an Antibacterial Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo Coating HVAF-Sprayed on Pipeline Steel, Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters) , 2021
[2]Zhang Lianmin, Yan Maocheng, Zhang S D, Zhu Liyang, Umoh A.J., Ma Aili, Zheng Yugui, Wang Jianqiang. Significantly enhanced resistance to SRB corrosion via Fe-based amorphous coating designed with high dose corrosion-resistant and antibacterial elements[J]. Corrosion Science, 2020, 164:108305
[3]Wu Tangqing, Yan Maocheng, Yu Libao, Zhao Hongtao, Sun Cheng, Yin Fucheng, KeWei. Stress corrosion of pipeline steel under disbonded coating in a SRB-containing environment[J]. Corrosion Science, 2019, 157: 518-530
[4]舒韵, 闫茂成(), 魏英华, 刘福春, 韩恩厚, 柯伟. X80管线钢表面SRB生物膜特征及腐蚀行为[J]. 金属学报, 2018, 54(10): 1408-1416
[5]Maocheng Yan, Jin Xu, Libao Yu; Tangqing, Wu, Cheng Sun, Wei Ke. EIS analysis on stress corrosion initiation of pipeline steel under disbonded coating in near-neutral pH simulated soil electrolyte. Corrosion Science, 2016, 110, 23-34
[6]Maocheng Yan, Cheng Sun, Jin Xu, Tangqing Wu, Shuang Yang, Wei Ke. Stress corrosion of pipeline steel under occluded coating disbondment in a red soil environment, Corrosion Science, 2015, 93: 27-38.
[7]Maocheng Yan, Cheng Sun; Junhua Dong, Wei Ke. Electrochemical investigation on steel corrosion in iron-rich clay, Corrosion Science, 2015, 97: 62-73.