International Collaboration in Nanotechnology from 1991 to 2010 Based on Patent Analysis

Abstract:

Nanotechnology has heralded the advent of next major techno-paradigm shift that will have pervasive impacts on a wide-range of high-tech sectors. International collaboration will exert important influences over the development of nanotechnology. Patents encompass valuable technological information and collaborative efforts. Therefore, this paper studies international collaboration of nanotechnology from the perspective of patent analysis. The results show that encouraged by the rapid development and ardent enthusiasm for nanotechnology globally, internationally collaborative nanotechnology patents grow steadily. The share of internationally collaborative patents in the world increases from 3.70% in 1991 to 6.52% in 2010. Among the top 20 countries/regions owning nanotechnology patents, the U.S. has the largest number of patents and internationally collaborative patents. However, the share of internationally collaborative patents in the whole U.S. patents is relatively low, which is below 10%. Such is also the case in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. In the other countries, the domestic share of internationally collaborative patents varies, ranging from less than 20% to more than 50%. The highest domestic share of internationally collaborative patents (56.1%) is found in Russia. International collaboration in the field of nanotechnology has yet found globally significant in terms of patent quantity, it does nevertheless play an active role in the improvement of citation impacts of nanotechnology patents for most of the top 20 countries, especially China.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 771)
• Pages: 119-124
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.771.119
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Jia Zheng, Wei Cui
• Keywords: International Collaboration, Nanotechnology, Patent

References

[1] Kostoff, R. N., J. A. Stump, D. Johnson, J. S. Murday and C. G. Y. Lau. The structure and infrastructure of the global nanotechnology literature, J Nanopart Res, vol. 8, pp.301-321, (2006).

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-005-9035-8

[2] Kostoff, R. N., R. G. Koytcheff and C. G. Y. Lau. Global nanotechnology research literature overview, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, vol. 74, pp.1733-1747, (2007).

DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2007.04.004

[3] Kostoff, R. N., R. G. Koytcheff and C. G. Y. Lau. Technical structure of the global nanoscience and nanotechnology literature, J Nanopart Res, vol. 9, pp.701-724, (2007).

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-007-9224-8

[4] Loet, L. and P. Zhou. Nanotechnology as a field of science: Its delineation in terms of journals and patents, Scientometrics, vol. 70, pp.693-713, (2007).

DOI: 10.1007/s11192-007-0308-0

[5] Zhou, P. and L. Loet. The emergence of China as a leading nation in science, Research Policy, vol. 35, pp.83-104, (2006).

[6] Guan, J. C. and N. Ma. China's emerging presence in nanoscience and nanotechnology A comparative bibliometric study of several nanoscience 'giants', Research Policy, vol. 36, pp.880-886, (2007).

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2007.02.004

[7] Hullmann, A. and M. Meyer. Publications and patents in nanotechnology An overview of previous studies and the state of the art, Scientometrics, vol. 58, pp.507-527, (2003).

DOI: 10.1023/b:scie.0000006877.45467.a7

[8] Marinova, D. and M. McAleer. Nanotechnology strength indicators: international rankings based on US patents, Nanotechnology, vol 14, pp. R1-R7, (2003).

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/14/1/201

[9] Huang, Z., H. Chen, X. Li and M. C. Roco. Connecting NSF funding to patent innovation in nanotechnology (2001–2004), J Nanopart Res, vol 8, pp.859-879, (2006).

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-006-9147-9

[10] Porter, A. L. and J. Youtie. How interdisciplinary is nanotechnology?, J Nanopart Res, vol 11, pp.1023-1041, (2009).

DOI: 10.1007/s11051-009-9607-0

[11] Rafols, I. and M. Meyer. Diversity and network coherence as indicators of interdisciplinarity: case studies in bionanoscience, Scientometrics, vol. 82, pp.263-287, (2010).

DOI: 10.1007/s11192-009-0041-y

[12] Rafols, I. and M. Meyer. How cross-disciplinary is bionanotechnology? Explorations in the specialty of molecular motors, Scientometrics, vol. 70, pp.633-650, (2007).

DOI: 10.1007/s11192-007-0305-3

[13] Meyer, M. and O. Persson. Nanotechnology-Interdisciplinarity, patterns of collaboration and differences in application, Scientometrics, vol. 42, pp.195-205, (1998).

DOI: 10.1007/bf02458355

[14] Schummer, J. "Multidisciplinarity, interdisciplinarity, and patterns of research collaboration in nanoscience and nanotechnology, Scientometrics, vol. 59, pp.425-465, (2004).

DOI: 10.1023/b:scie.0000018542.71314.38

[15] Wong, P. K., Y. P. Ho and C. K. Chan. Internationalization and evolution of application areas of an emerging technology: The case of nanotechnology, Scientometrics, vol. 70, pp.715-737, (2007).

DOI: 10.1007/s11192-007-0309-z