Global analysis identifies trends in platform chemical research
Ammonia and methanol lead shift towards greener technologies
An analysis of over 90,000 research papers has revealed new insight into how priorities in platform chemicals research is changing. The study identified 62 distinct topics and tracked how these developed over time in different regions of the world. It pinpointed specific trends, such as how ammonia and methanol production has shifted from focussing on efficiency to new synthetic routes, while olefins and aromatics have undergone less change. It also highlighted geographic differences, with researchers in China leaning into photo- and electrocatalytic methods more than Europe and the US.