Evolution of Functional Membranes: A Bibliometric Approach on the Modification from Polymeric to Nanocomposite Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/Keywords:
bibliometric approach, functional membrane filtration, polymeric membrane, nanocomposite membrane, sustainable water treatmentAbstract
Membrane science has become a study that has received significant attention for its use in membrane filtration. The development of membrane science has accelerated with the use of nanotechnology. Various studies on the use of membranes in water treatment filtration have been conducted, but many focus on single materials and separation effectiveness. However, research presenting developments in membrane technology that focus on the shift from the polymeric era to nanocomposites has not been presented. This gap led this study to map the evolution of membrane science as a direction for future research. A total of 13,983 documents obtained from Scopus were analyzed. Open Refine and Microsoft Excel were used for metadata cleaning, while VOSviewer and IIPmaps were used for data visualization. The analysis was conducted to obtain data on the development and distribution of publications, trending keywords, research transitions, and future research directions. The results show that publications increased rapidly in 2010 that line with the increasing use of nanotechnology. Publication and collaboration trends are dominated by China, the United States, and Malaysia. Research transitions also showed three main phases, namely: polymeric foundations (1990-2005), nanocomposite integration (2006-2015), and advanced functionalities (2016-2025). The advanced functionalities phase showed the use of eco-friendly materials and artificial intelligence in the design of multifunctional membranes. This bibliometric study indicates that water treatment membranes have shifted from improving physical properties to using nanomaterials for functional purposes. Consequently, upcoming work ought to prioritize novel combinations of nanomaterials alongside advancements in produced smart filtration systems.
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