Emerging Trends, Applications and Future Directions Pertaining to Metal Nanoparticles: A Bibliometric Analysis

Introduction: Numerous international research articles on metal nanoparticles have indicated a significant interest in metal nanoparticles and their applications. Methods: This study examined research trends in metal nanoparticles, including methods and applications, using a bibliometric analysis of Scopus data. The search covered a period extending from 1998 to 2024. In particular, this study relied on the analysis of published articles, authorship across countries and academic organisations, as well as the occurrence of authors’ keywords and terms. The language of the selected paper was English, the publication was at the final stage, and the document type was an article. At the same time, the analysis excluded review articles, conference and proceeding papers, as well as book chapters from the search results. Results: A total of 3,678 articles were retrieved from various journals based on the topic, title, abstract, keywords, and authors’ keywords. Data reveal that the "biological method" and the "physical method" were the most popular methods for synthesizing metal nanoparticles. According to the keyword co-occurrence mapping, the main applications for metal nanoparticle research are "antibacterial" and "catalysis." Discussion: Most of the biological and physical methods used indicate that factors such as green technology, reduced toxicity, and cost-effectiveness were considered when synthesising metal nanoparticles. Following this, major applications of metal nanoparticles in antibacterial and catalytic applications were closely related to their properties. Conclusion: These data help identify current research trends in metal nanoparticles, their prospects, and the preparation and application of these nanoparticles. In addition, it contributes to future research and innovation in this field.