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Characterizing knowledge diffusion of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology by citation analysis

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Abstract

This study investigates the knowledge diffusion patterns of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (N&N) by analyzing the overall research interactions between N&N and nano-related subjects through citation analysis. Three perspectives were investigated to achieve this purpose. Firstly, the overall research interactions were analyzed to identify the dominant driving forces in advancing the development of N&N. Secondly, the knowledge diffusion intensity between N&N and nano-related subjects was investigated to determine the areas most closely related to N&N. Thirdly, the diffusion speed was identified to detect the time distance of knowledge diffusion between N&N and nano-related subjects. The analysis reveals that driving forces from the outside environment rather than within N&N itself make the foremost contributions to the development of N&N. From 1998 to 2007, Material Science, Physics, Chemistry, N&N, Electrical & Electronic and Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering are the key contributory and reference subjects for N&N. Knowledge transfer within N&N itself is the quickest. And the speed of knowledge diffusion from other subjects to N&N is slower than that from N&N to other subjects, demonstrating asymmetry of knowledge diffusion in the development of N&N. The results indicate that N&N has matured into a relatively open, diffuse and dynamic system of interactive subjects.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by grant G70571020 from the National Nature Science Foundation of China and New Century Excellent Talents in University (Grant No: NCET-07-0244) of Education of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, 150001, Harbin, People’s Republic of China

    Guang Yu

  2. School of Astronautic, Harbin Institute of Technology, 150001, Harbin, People’s Republic of China

    Ming-Yang Wang & Da-Ren Yu

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  1. Guang Yu
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Correspondence to Ming-Yang Wang or Da-Ren Yu.

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Yu, G., Wang, MY. & Yu, DR. Characterizing knowledge diffusion of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology by citation analysis. Scientometrics 84, 81–97 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0090-2

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