Scientometrics Analysis of Nanotechnology in MEDLINE

Abstract

Introduction: Nanotechnology is the study and application of extremely small things and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering. An alternative method for considering the trend of research activities in countries is quantitative analysis of scientific output. The objective of current study is to analyze and visualize the trend of scientific output in the field of nanotechnology in MEDLINE during a period of 10 years 2001-2010. Method: The extraction of data was restricted to the data set that was indexed as a major main heading of “nanotechnology” in MEDLINE through 2001 – 2010. Data about patent applications was obtained from WIPO Statistics Database. Database of Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) was selected from Web of Science to obtain publications indexed under the topic of nanotechnology. Result: Analysis of data showed that the research activities in the field of nanotechnology have been increased steady through the period of study. The number of publications in 2010 was ~ 84 times greater than those in 2001. English language consisting of 98% of total publications was the most dominant language of publications. Based on Bradford’s scattering’s law the journal of “ Nanoscience and Nanotechnology“ distributing 12.8% of total publications was the most prolific journal. Conclusion: The USA contributing 39% of world’s publications in the field was the most productive country followed by China (10%), Germany (6%), Japan (6%), Korea (5%) and UK (4%).  The most majority of world’s publications (70%) were produced by these six countries. The tremendous growth of publications was simultaneously with the rapid growth of patent application in the field of Micro-structural and nano-technology in WIPO.

Keywords: Nanotechnology, Scientometrics, MEDLINE