A Scientometric Analysis of Field Management and Research Trends in Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials

Advancing thermal management technologies, Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) have emerged as promising materials for efficient energy storage and heat transfer applications. This study presents a scientometric analysis of global research trends in NePCM from 1990 to 2025. A total of 1,984 original research publications were extracted from the Web of Science database to ensure a focused analysis on primary scientific contributions. From 2010 onward, the field experienced significant growth, peaking in 2024, with rising author and institutional participation despite a recent decline in citation impact per publication. China, India, and Saudi Arabia lead in number of the research output. Journal of Energy Storage, Applied Thermal Engineering, and International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer have been the most impactful source of publications in term of total publications and citations. The most cited NePCM studies can be grouped into three main application areas: electronic thermal management, battery thermal management, and energy storage enhancement. Considering the Web of Science subject areas, the field is predominantly centered in Energy and Fuels, followed by Engineering, Materials Science, and Thermodynamics. Keyword study reveals key technological themes, including Phase Change Materials, NePCMs, Thermal Energy Storage, Nanoparticles, and Thermal Conductivity.