China/USA nanotechnology research output comparison—2011 update

This Research Note updates our 2006 and 2009 China/USA nanotechnology and nanoscience (NN) research output comparisons.A 2009 comparison of China/USA research publication outputs showed that China is about to overtake the USA in NN research output. As predicted by the extrapolated 2009 curve, China has passed USA in NN research publication output. This transition occurred in the 2008/2009 time frame, and if the 2011 results (taken at mid-2011) hold for the full year, will become quite pronounced (~ 20%).When specific sub-disciplines are examined, the differences between China and USA become more pronounced. For example, the 2009 paper presented the time trend for China/USA publications in nanocomposites, an important sub-discipline of NN. The updated nanocomposites curve has increased about twice the rate of the overall NN curve, and shows no sign of abating.The USA papers lead in the numbers of citations by all metrics considered, but the Chinese papers are showing significant improvement with time. Overall, the Chinese papers are cited very modestly, but there is a core of 'heavy hitters' that appears to be increasing substantially with time, and is increasingly making its presence known in the higher Impact Factor journals.