Literature in nanotechnology among G20 countries A scientometrics study based on scopus database

Abstract

Nanotechnology and Nanoscience, are interdisciplinary subjects and fast emerging scientific and technology field that has generated a huge number of publications during the recent past. Scientometrics is a tool by which the state of science and technology can be observed, through the overall production of scientific literature, at a given level of specialization. There is a continuous generation of information in the field of Nanotechnology, it is found essential to study quantitatively the output of literature by applying scientometrics tools/indicators. It is proposed to study quantitatively the literature published on Nanotechnology by using the bibliographic database namely SCOPUS, an online International Database. This study aims to measure the research productivity of Nanotechnology among G20 countries. The concept of G20 countries itself happens to be a growing phenomena. The study has been designed with the objectives, to examine the growth of literature on Nanotechnology published during the period 1981 - 2010, to identify and analyse the countrywise production of Nanotechnology research output, among G20 countries, to analyse the Indian research output, status, publication share and growth of Nanotechnology research with G20 countries, to study the pattern of author collaboration and the impact by using various scientific measures such as h-index, g-index, and hg-index, to study the contribution of Indian Institutions and their international collaboration, and impact using various scientific measures, and to study the national patterns of research output and priority index and activity index in Nanotechnology. The study covers a period of thirty years span between 1981 and 2010, both years inclusive. India holds 9th position based on h index among G20 countries. United States and China occupy top position. The results of a scientometrics study that focuses on the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology is that the contribution of India has increased substantially in the last 5 years. newline newline newline