A scientometric review of knowledge domains on nuclear radiation

Abstract

Nuclear energy is an important energy component to achieve the goal of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”. Nuclear radiation is one of the hot spots in the development and utilization of nuclear energy. This study used bibliometric methods to gain a preliminary understanding of the knowledge system in the field of nuclear radiation and explored the network relationships of cooperation in the field of nuclear radiation. The literature data for the study were obtained from the Web of Science core collection database. All literature from 2008 to 2023 was downloaded, totalling 1602 articles. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze several aspects such as article volume, keyword clustering and collaborative network relationships. The research showed that the years 2011–2014 and 2017–2020 were periods of vigorous literature development, with a sharp increase in the number of literature. In the collaborative network, the author collaborative network was divided into five different clusters, mainly dominated by Tsubokura, Masaharu and Yasumura, Seijiz. Research and development in various countries were uneven, and cooperation between underdeveloped national institutions in this field was even more limited. In the keyword clustering, five cluster models have been established, including the investigation and related treatment of nuclear radiation hazards, the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, research on nuclear radiation products, optical properties of nuclear radiation, and research on shielding materials. Recently, radiation shielding materials, photons and neutrons have become research hotspots. Through this study, we can gain a deeper understanding of the development status, cooperation networks, and cutting-edge research information in the nuclear field, which can serve as a reference for researchers.