Electrochemical corrosion study of biomaterials: A bibliometric study based on co-word analysis

Demand for better biomaterials has been increasing. To meet this demand, testing is necessary to screen potential options. Corrosion testing is essential as it relates to durability and biocompatibility. Usually, electrochemical tests are employed in screening candidates for in vivo testing. Researching in the biomaterials field, or any field for that matter, requires continuous consultation of the literature. When conducting a literature search, the amount of information available is often overwhelming. Identifying relevant research trends that can guide decisions about future projects becomes challenging. This study employs bibliometric analysis to identify research trends in electrochemical corrosion studies of biomaterials. By doing this, researchers interested in the subject are provided with relevant information on which to base decisions about future research projects. The method used is called co-word analysis. Keywords have been downloaded from Web of Science using an appropriate search query. The analysis period includes the months from January 2013 to December 2021. This period is divided into three subperiods of three years each: 2013-15, 2016-18, and 2019-21. Evolution analysis identified 5 areas of interest that remained active throughout the entire period: biodegradable magnesium alloys, titanium and its alloys, hydroxyapatite coatings, general biomaterial characterization, and the use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. All of them are likely to remain of interest in the following years. One area related to titanium anodization appears to be an active research area with few publications, leaving room for new research. Methodological limitations are properly addressed.