Global Research Cooperation Patterns in the Secondary Battery Industry

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to analyze how global research cooperation patterns in the secondary battery industry have changed over recent years and identify the evolution of the research focus in the field. To this end, network analysis was performed using the nationality information of the authors of multinational joint studies related to lithium-ion batteries in the 10-year period 2013–2022. Furthermore, keyword analysis and topic modeling were performed using the studies’ abstract data. According to the results, some countries that are not well-known in the field, such as Australia, Spain, and France, showed high centrality relative to their cooperation levels. Additionally, six research topics were identified. A comparison spanning the first half of the examined decade revealed no differences in the appearance of keywords indicating high energy density and conductivity with lithium, a key mineral. Keyword distribution in the first 5-year period was high for topics such as battery charging and discharging, whereas, in the second half, next-generation battery materials such as solid electrolytes, lithium metal anodes, and lithium-sulfur batteries were frequently occurring. These results provide insights for countries regarding the establishment of research and development cooperation strategies, as well as for companies in the battery industry engaging in pre-planning.