《1 Engineering research fronts》

1 Engineering research fronts

《1.1 Trends in top 11 engineering research fronts》

1.1 Trends in top 11 engineering research fronts

The top 11 engineering research fronts assessed by the Field Group of Chemical, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering include the fields of energy, materials, chemistry, and biotechnology (Tables 1.1.1 and 1.1.2). Among these top research fronts, “renewable energy systems,” “membrane bio-reactor and membrane fouling control technology,” and “applications of porous organic materials for CO₂ capture” are based on the popular topics suggested by Clarivate Analytics. The other eight are recommended by the domain experts working in these research areas.

“Renewable energy systems,” “catalyst design by artificial intelligence (AI),” and “membrane bio-reactor and membrane fouling control technology” are the more emerging research fields based on the data for the mean year of publications (Table 1.1.1). Notably, “catalyst design by AI” is a rapidly rising field according to the increasing number of core papers published annually (Table 1.1.2) even though the citation numbers are not high (Table 1.1.1). “Catalytic biomass conversion” and “applications of porous organic materials for CO₂ capture” are hot research areas as the number of citations per publication is greater than 90 citations (Table 1.1.1).

(1) Renewable energy systems

Renewable energy is the energy that is generated from natural processes that are continuously replenished. Renewable energy systems (RES) such as those utilizing wind, solar, biomass, hydropower, geothermal, and ocean energy play critical roles in realizing the energy sector that is clean, low- carbon, safe, and efficient. Although the RES have developed rapidly in recent years, they are still limited by relatively high cost, low reliability, and unsatisfactory synergy among multiple systems, resulting in challenges in terms of global energy transition.

Currently, the main goal of the studies researching RES is to utilize the energy more cleanly and efficiently, and thereafter introduce advanced coordination among a variety of RES

《Table 1.1.1》

Table 1.1.1 Top 11 engineering research fronts in chemical, metallurgical, and materials engineering

《Table 1.1.2》

Table 1.1.2 Annual number of core papers published for the top 11 engineering research fronts in chemical, metallurgical, and materials engineering

for optimizing the production, transportation, distribution, conversion, storage, and consumption of energy with the life cycle view. In general, the major aspects of the research can be categorized into four points: 1) from a macroscopic point of view, the proposal of strategies and paths for the development of the RES; 2) from a microscopic point of view, the improvement of the technical performances such as economics, reliability, and effectiveness of the RES; 3) in terms of energy generation, the optimization of hybrid renewable and traditional energy systems; 4) from the perspective of energy consumption, the integration of the RES into the energy, industrial, and transport sectors.

(2)  High-temperature alloy

A high-temperature alloy based on iron, nickel, and cobalt, is a metal material that can withstand the working conditions at a high temperature of 600 °C for a long time. It is also called “super alloy” and exhibits a comprehensive performance such as excellent high-temperature strength, good oxidation resistance and hot corrosion resistance, and good fatigue performance and fracture toughness, as well as high alloying characteristics. Super alloys are the key materials for the manufacture of aeroengine hot components, and are widely used in the fields of electric power generation, metallurgy, glass manufacturing, and atomic energy, as well as in ship and automobile industries. Known as the “cornerstone of advanced engines” and accounting for 40%–60% of the total engine weight, super alloys are important in the development of engine technology. Currently, the research of super alloys include the development of new alloys and the surface treatment and welding of alloy materials. In particular, the high-temperature properties, together with the demand for new aeroengines and expansion of alloy applications in recent years have accelerated the development of new super alloys.

(3)  Material life cycle engineering

Material life cycle engineering (MLCE) is an eco-design- oriented applied engineering field to meet the performance requirements, protect the environment, and conserve the resources. Through the application of technological and scientific principles including hazardous substance substitution, green process planning, clean production, and resource recycling in the complete industrial supply chain, MLCE can allow a systematic optimization of material products during the entire life cycle. Material ecological design plays an important role in alleviating the issues of resource scarcity and environmental pollution as the related issues are comprehensively considered in the early product design stages. Furthermore, the application of MLCE can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of material products on the environment in the industrial supply chain.

MLCE has developed into an international research frontier based on the multidisciplinary intersection of materials, manufacturing, and environmental sciences. MLCE studies mainly include the material ecological design theory and methods, material life cycle evaluation theory and methods, development of assessment database of material environmental impact and analysis software, and recycling technology in MLCE.

The application of life cycle engineering in the field of materials should be further strengthened in future. By means of eco-design, life cycle assessment, and life cycle optimization technologies, a green development model of eco-environment materials industry can be established, which can gradually decrease the significant imbalance between the material production and resources, thereby allowing sustainable development in the field of materials.

(4) Catalyst design by AI

AI involves establishing an artificial neural network and utilization of machine learning. Currently, machine learning is used to address the clustering and regression problems. The first step in the application of machine learning to the field of catalysis is the identification of the problem as either clustering or regression. Then, the artificial neural network is developed by executing the learning and testing processes. After the artificial neural network is trained, it can be adopted to predict the catalytic performances of some simple catalysts and reactions. The decisive factors in determining the catalytic performances under these conditions are the adsorption energy values of one or two reactants. Although machine learning has already been applied to various types of problems in catalysis, there is no publication reporting the literature mining or image recognition of catalysis data such as infrared (IR) spectra by machine learning. We expect that these gaps will be filled in future.

(5)   High-performance C/C composites for aerospace and aeronautics

C/C composites consist of continuous carbon fibers (as reinforcing phase) and carbon materials (as matrix). C/C composites have excellent properties such as low specific gravity, high specific strength, high specific modulus, low thermal expansion coefficient, ablation resistance, and thermal shock resistance. For the leading edges of the wing, nose cones, rocket nozzles, re-entry vehicles, and thermal protection system applications, C/C composites have unparalleled advantages compared with other materials. In recent years, with the rapid development of the aerospace industry, there is an urgent need for the development of long- term, high-temperature-resistant, and oxidation-resistant C/C composites. Material modification and coating protection are the two effective oxidation resistant strategies for C/C composites. The pursuit of long-life, anti-oxidation coating on the C/C composites is one of the main research areas for C/C composites. However, owing to the long production cycle, high cost, and difficulties in batch production, the applications of C/C composites are limited to aerospace and military. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new processing methods for the preparation of advanced C/C composites, which can reduce the preparation time and production cost.

(6)   Membrane bio-reactor and membrane fouling control technology

Membrane bio-reactor (MBR) is a new waste water treatment technology which combines membrane separation and biological treatment. Currently, the solid/liquid separation membrane bio-reactor (SLSMBR) is the most widely studied and used reactor in MBR technology. The secondary sedimentation tank in the conventional activated sludge process is replaced by a membrane, which allows the coupling of high-efficiency membrane separation and traditional activated sludge method. Owing to the retention of microorganisms and macromolecular organics by the membrane, the biological concentration and organic oxidation efficiency in the reactor are high. Compared with the conventional activated sludge method, the MBR technology has advantages such as high effluent quality, low sludge production, small floor space, and low operation cost. The MBR technology has attracted significant worldwide attention for waste water treatment. However, as the membrane in MBR is directly contacted with the mixture solution, the particles and macromolecule solutes are inevitably absorbed and deposited onto the membrane surface or into the pores under physical, chemical, or biological actions, leading to the membrane pore blocking, reduction of water flux, and increase in the transmembrane pressure. Membrane fouling is one of major issues that restricts the extensive application of MBR technology. The studies regarding the control of membrane fouling and regeneration of membrane are important, and can be mainly focused on the membrane material and properties, type of pollutant, and operation conditions.

(7)  Catalytic biomass conversion

Biomass is a general term for various organisms produced by photosynthesis using atmosphere, water, and soil. It is the major organic and renewable carbon resource in nature. Owing to its widespread resources, abundance, and carbon neutrality, the biomass is extensively used to synthesize fuels and prepare a variety of fine chemicals, which are considered an alternative to petrochemical resources. Catalytic biomass conversion is an effective method to achieve efficient usage. Representative biomass resources currently studied are lignocellulose (including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin), oils, sugars, and microalgae. Components such as sugar and cellulose can be catalytically converted into products of higher alcohols and platform compounds. Catalytic conversion of lignin produces aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic aldehydes (carboxylic acids), phenols, and alkane fuels. Oils and fats can be used for producing biodiesel. All these aspects are interesting research directions in the field of biomass conversion. Owing to the complexity and difficulties in pretreatment as well as the reaction and separation of the biomass components, the development of more economic and green separation processes and catalytic systems is the main goal in the near future. In addition, the complete utilization of the multiple components of biomass and the co- production of high-value-added H2, fuels, and chemicals are also the emerging trends in the catalytic biomass conversion field.

(8)  Chemical biotechnology

Chemical biotechnology employs chemical methods to regulate cellular growth, metabolism, and product formation for the production of biochemicals, biofuels, and biomedicine. To generate chemical signals, the cells reshape their metabolism, leading to a more favorable phenotype resulting in additional products, reduced by-products, and improved stress-resistance. The chemicals may affect the cellular transcription, translation, or enzyme catalysis, and consequently alter the biosynthesis of macromolecules and small metabolites. After the engineered cells are successfully constructed by genetic engineering and genome editing tools, an additional phenotype space can be explored by applying a chemical biotechnology strategy. The results are of significance in the areas of both biotechnology and biological sciences. A particularly emerging area is the implantation of abiogenic- chemicals or those from the traditional petrochemical industry into the cellular metabolism to obtain useful products that can lead to more innovations in future.

(9)  Applications of porous organic materials for CO₂ capture

The rapid increase in the atmospheric CO₂ concentration in recent years has caused a serious threat to the sustainable development of human society because of the accompanying greenhouse effect. Therefore, the development of cost- effective and environmentally friendly technologies for CO₂ capture are necessary to mitigate this problem. The CO₂ capture mainly includes pre-combustion capture (H₂/CO₂ separation), post-combustion capture (CO₂/N₂ separation), and oxy-fuel combustion (H₂O/CO₂ separation). The most widely used method in industry for CO₂ capture, i.e., amine adsorption, requires a high energy penalty to regenerate the adsorbent and results in many environmental problems. Compared with amine adsorption, the porous organic materials for CO₂ adsorption and separation are more energy efficient and easier to utilize and regenerate. Porous organic materials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous organic polymers (POPs) are promising for CO₂ capture applications owing to their exceptional properties including high surface area, easily tunable structure, and reproducibility. The CO₂ uptake capacity, CO2 selectivity, physical/chemical stability, and production/regeneration cost are the four commonly used indicators to evaluate the performance of porous organic materials for CO₂ capture. The CO₂ capacity or selectivity can be realized by the pre/ post-synthetic modifications of MOFs/POPs to introduce CO₂- philic functionalities. Using this method, the researchers have developed MOFs/POPs with high CO₂ adsorption performance and some MOFs can even be produced on a large scale. More research should be focused on improving the stability of these porous organic materials under relevant industrial conditions (in the presence of H₂O, CO, NO_x, and SO_x) and reducing the production cost of these materials. By overcoming these issues, the porous organic materials can be considered as promising candidates for the next-generation CO₂ capture technology in industry.

(10)   High-performance adsorption-catalytic materials for separation and purification

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause various problems such as photochemical smog, greenhouse effect, ozone layer destruction, and adverse effects to human health, which have threatened the survival and development of human beings. In terms of VOC abatement technologies, adsorption is a mature one, with small energy consumption and high treatment efficiency. The catalytic combustion technology has many advantages including large processing capacity, no secondary pollution, and ease of dealing with flammable and explosive gases. The main factors in the development of these two efficient waste gas treatment technologies are the adsorbents and catalysts. The development of high-performance adsorption-catalytic materials for separation and purification is the key to achieve energy conservation and reduction of emissions in the chemical processes. For VOC adsorbents, the activated carbon materials and zeolites have been widely used in industry. The development target for the high-performance adsorbents is selective adsorption, large adsorption capacity, and easy desorption. Currently, the noble metal catalysts are widely used as combustion catalysts. However, the development of noble metals is limited by disadvantages such as easy sintering, poor heat resistance, and high cost. The development of universal combustion catalysts with low cost and good stability is an urgent issue that should be addressed in the field of catalytic combustion.

The following points need to be considered in the research and development of high-performance adsorption-catalytic materials for separation and purification. 1) A deep analysis of the interaction between VOCs and adsorbents/catalysts should be performed through the development of material characterization and computational simulation. 2) Research on a mixture of VOCs, involving water vapor, SOx, and NOx should be carried out to simulate the real conditions of VOC emission. 3) The development of dual-function materials with both high-efficiency adsorbent and catalyst functions is optimal, i.e., the VOCs with low concentration in the exhaust gas can be concentrated by selective adsorption at the adsorption site on the material and then completely removed by the catalytic oxidation activity in the same material.

(11) Artificial nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions

Niterogen fixation through the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia is regarded as one of the most significant processes in industry as ammonia not only plays a key role in the production of fertilizers to sustain the rising global population, but also serves as a green energy carrier and an alternative fuel. Since 1913, ammonia is mainly synthesized on an industrial scale by the traditional Haber–Bosch process at a high pressure (15–20 MPa) and high temperature (300–500 °C). This process is highly energy-consuming and accounts for more than 1.4% of the world’s energy consumption and 1.6% of world’s CO₂ emissions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a green, sustainable, and alternate artificial niterogen fixation process to synthesize ammonia by employing renewable resources at ambient conditions. Possessing eco-friendly and sustainable characteristics, nitrogen-to-ammonia conversion through nitrogenase enzymes, photochemical reduction, and electrochemical reduction are considered as promising candidates for artificial niterogen fixation under mild conditions. Moreover, the electrocatalytic process using water as a sustainable proton source to substitute the raw material hydrogen used in the Haber–Bosch process is feasible for lowering the energy demand and decreasing the CO₂ emissions, which can allow the sustainable development of human society and alleviate the global energy and environmental crises. As the core components of the artificial niterogen fixation system, the rational design of efficient nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) catalysts with high activity, high selectivity, and good stability, and the development of reaction process can promote the advancement of the NRR as a green and more sustainable method with low energy consumption are needed. Research efforts directed toward the electrocatalysts designed for NRR under ambient conditions have attracted worldwide interest.

《1.2 Interpretations for three key engineering research fronts》

1.2 Interpretations for three key engineering research fronts

1.2.1 Renewable energy systems

One of the greatest challenges in future is the sustainable generation and utilization of energy, and the RES play the most significant role in the realization of a sustainable energy system. In recent years, there is an increasing trend toward the studies on the RES, particularly the wind, solar, and biomass energy systems, among which, four emerging trends are discussed as follows. First, from a macro perspective, the researches should aim at understanding if and how the energy sector can be decarbonized by utilizing the RES. For instance, some European countries such as Denmark have proposed long-term plans for the energy transition, which employ renewable energy resources to replace the fossil fuels.

To build a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system for China, it is necessary to promote the utilization of the renewable energy (particularly, the wind and solar energy) in the end-use energy sectors for enhancing the energy efficiency in the end-use consumption (primarily, the industry and transport sectors) and developing the distributed RES. Second, the popularization of the renewable energy relies heavily on the technical progress of the RES. Therefore, improving the conversion/utilization efficiency, strengthening the economic competitiveness, and developing advanced energy storage systems to enhance the reliability of the RES will be crucial in future researches. Third, the energy systems in future will consist of different types of energy sources from renewable energy to fossil fuels, implying that the collaborative planning and operational optimization of the hybrid energy systems, particularly the renewable energy-based systems, will be the new trends. The methods for the creation of a hybrid energy system based on the characteristics of different energy sources and improvement of the utilization ratio of the renewable energy in the hybrid system are some areas that can be investigated. Finally, the RES offer an opportunity to utilize sustainable sources in the traditional energy, industrial, and transport sectors. Among the various research directions, the integration of renewable sources into hydrogen production will be continually pursued, to not only afford a feasible way for the utilization of renewable energy, but also realize clean hydrogen manufacturing. The renewable-based hydrogen can be applied in the fields beyond the electric power sector, i.e., (1)  for linking hydrogen to cooling, heating, and electricity for synthesizing and optimizing different energy networks and sectors; (2) utilizing hydrogen as an industrial gas to promote the development of industrial sectors as low-carbon units by employing it in smelting, metallurgy, chemical engineering, and other industries as high-efficiency raw material, reducing agent, and heat source; (3) employing renewable hydrogen for decarbonizing the transport sector, where a sustainable transportation system can be built by integrating the renewable energy, hydrogen, fuel cells, and new energy vehicles from a life cycle view.

By reviewing the core papers regarding the RES published after 2013, the countries/regions and institutions that mainly focus on the studies in this area are listed in Tables 1.2.1 and 1.2.2, respectively. Denmark, Germany, and Finland are the top three countries in terms of publications, accounting for 61.54%, 42.31%, and 19.23% of the total number of the core papers, respectively, whereas Aalborg University and Aarhus University have made the most significant contributions in this research field. As shown in Figure 1.2.1, Denmark and Germany have the best collaborative relationship, and the collaboration network between Germany–Finland and Denmark–USA is also well-developed. Figure 1.2.2 exhibits that the most active collaboration is observed among Aarhus University, Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies, and Goethe University, Frankfurt. According to Table 1.2.3, the core papers are mostly cited by the researchers from Germany, Denmark, and the USA in the descending order, whereas the data listed in Table 1.2.4 indicates that Aalborg University, Lappeenranta University of Technology, and Aarhus University are the top three institutions that include the core literature as references.

《Table 1.2.1》

Table 1.2.1 Countries or regions with the greatest output of core papers on “renewable energy systems”

《Table 1.2.2》

Table 1.2.2 Institutions with the greatest output of core papers on “renewable energy systems”

《Figure 1.2.1》

Figure 1.2.1 Collaboration network among major countries or regions in the engineering research front of “renewable energy systems”

《Figure 1.2.2》

Figure 1.2.2 Collaboration network among major institutions in the engineering research front of “renewable energy systems”

《Table 1.2.3》

Table 1.2.3 Countries or regions with the greatest output of citing papers on “renewable energy systems”

《Table 1.2.4》

Table 1.2.4 Institutions with the greatest output of citing papers on “renewable energy systems”

1.2.2 High-temperature alloy

Super alloy is a metal material developed in the 1930s and was first used in the aviation industry by the UK, Germany, and the USA. After the second world war, owing to the rapid development of the aviation industry and high performance of super alloys, many countries developed new high- temperature alloys. In addition to the wide use of high- temperature components, super alloys have been applied in thermal and nuclear power generation, metallurgy, and glass manufacturing, as well as in ship and chemical industries.

The composition of super alloy is complex, containing active elements such as chromium and aluminum, and is unstable under oxidation or hot corrosion environments. Additionally, the surface defects of the machined parts, caused by work hardening and residual stress, have a negative impact on its chemical performance and mechanical properties. Because of high alloying, super alloy materials are prone to the segregation of components, which has a significant impact on the micro-structure and properties of the cast super alloys and deformed super alloys. With different characteristics from those of ordinary metal materials, the preparation of super alloys includes the casting of high-temperature alloy (conventionally cast super alloy, directional solidification columnar super alloy, and single crystal super alloy), deformed super alloy, and powder super alloy.

With advances in alloy theory and production process, the performances of super alloys have been enhanced through alloy strengthening and process improvement. Alloy strengthening includes alloy solid solution strengthening and grain boundary strengthening with a second phase hardening agent. Process strengthening includes improvement in smelting, solidification, crystallization, thermal processing, heat treatment, and surface treatment to improve the microstructure. The preparation technology and process for super alloy materials are still undergoing improvement and innovation, for example, the adoption of the triple-melt process of vacuum induction melting, electroslag remelting, and vacuum arc remelting (VIM-ESR-VAR), improvement of high-temperature strength by using the directionally solidified alloy and single crystal alloy, and utilization of powder metallurgy to reduce the segregation of alloying elements and increase the material strength. In addition, the oxide dispersion-strengthened super alloys and high-temperature inter-metallic materials are also under development.

The countries/regions and institutions with the greatest output of core papers in the field of “high-temperature alloy” since 2013 are listed in Tables 1.2.5 and 1.2.6, respectively. The collaboration networks among major countries/regions and institutions are shown in Figures 1.2.3 and 1.2.4. The countries/regions and institutions with the greatest number of citing papers are included in Tables 1.2.7 and 1.2.8.

The majority of the core papers are published by the top four countries, China, the USA, Germany, and the UK. Among these, the Chinese output of the core papers accounts for 40.2% of the total, whereas the number of core papers from the USA accounts for 20.6%, and those from Germany and the UK both exceed 10%. The top four countries of average citation are Sweden, Japan, China, and the UK (Table 1.2.5). The USA and

《Table 1.2.5》

Table 1.2.5 Countries or regions with the greatest output of core papers on “high-temperature alloy”

《Table 1.2.6》

Table 1.2.6 Institutions with the greatest output of core papers on “high-temperature alloy”

《Figure 1.2.3》

Figure 1.2.3 Collaboration network among major countries or regions in the engineering research front of “high-temperature alloy”

Germany have the highest level of collaboration, followed by China, France, and Canada. This shows that these countries focus more on collaboration in this field (Figure 1.2.3). The institutions that account for the highest output of the core papers in this area are the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Central South University, and Northwestern Polytechnical University (Table 1.2.6).

The percentages of citing papers from China and the USA are 46.93% and 16.54%, respectively. According to the data analysis, the highest number of core papers are cited by Chinese institutions, which indicates that the Chinese scholars are at the forefront of this research area (Table 1.2.7). The institution that accounts for the highest output of the citing papers is the Chinese Academy of Sciences, followed by Northwestern Polytechnical University and Beijing University of Science and Technology (Table 1.2.8).

《Figure 1.2.4》

Figure 1.2.4 Collaboration network among major institutions in the engineering research front of “high-temperature alloy”

《Table 1.2.7》

Table 1.2.7 Countries or regions with the greatest output of citing papers on “high-temperature alloy”

The output of core papers and citing papers in China and the USA are among the highest in the world, and the number of core papers cited by the Chinese institutions is high.

1.2.3 Material life cycle engineering

Faced with the increasing resource scarcity and environmental pollution, sustainable development through the harmonization of materials, resources, and environment has become a global consensus. MLCE is considered to be important for alleviating these issues. Therefore, the life cycle engineering research has attracted significant attention and has been extensively developed since the beginning of the 21st century. MLCE requires material design during the entire life cycle process. Systematic optimization of the complete industrial chain can be achieved through the quantitative analysis of the material performance, resource consumption, and environmental performance. Furthermore, the environmental impact of the material products during the complete life cycle can be effectively reduced by continuous technological innovation and optimization of process parameters during the manufacturing, management, and recycling processes. Currently, the research on MLCE mainly includes the material ecological design theory and methods, material life cycle evaluation theory and methods, development of assessment database of the material environmental impact and analysis software, and recycling technology in MLCE.

《Table 1.2.8》

Table 1.2.8 Institutions with the greatest output of citing papers on “high-temperature alloy”

《Table 1.2.9》

Table 1.2.9 Countries or regions with the greatest output of core papers on “material life cycle engineering”

The main countries/regions and institutions with maximum number of core papers in MLCE research during the period between 2013 and 2018 are listed in Tables 1.2.9 and 1.2.10, respectively. As shown in Table 1.2.9, the USA and Italy are the two countries with the maximum output of core papers, accounting for 19.17% and 12.08% of the total output, followed by the UK with 11.67%. Among the institutions, the Technical University of Denmark has the highest percentage (3.33%) of published core papers as shown in Table 1.2.10. Figure 1.2.5 shows the collaboration network among the countries or regions with maximum output in this research field. China and the USA collaborate most frequently. The collaborations between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Nottingham as well as that between University Catania and Politecnico di Milano are relatively less frequent (Figure 1.2.6). China and the USA are ranked first and second among various countries for citing core papers, accounting for 30.08% and 16.81%, respectively, as shown in Table 1.2.11. According to Table 1.2.12, the top three institutions with maximum output of citing papers are the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the corresponding percentages of citing papers of 26.32%, 12.42%, and 9.87%, respectively.

《Table 1.2.10》

Table 1.2.10 Institutions with the greatest output of core papers on “material life cycle engineering”

《Figure 1.2.5》

Figure 1.2.5 Collaboration network among major countries or regions in the engineering research front of “material life cycle engineering”

《Figure 1.2.6》

Figure 1.2.6 Collaboration network among major institutions in the engineering research front of “material life cycle engineering”

《Table 1.2.11》

Table 1.2.11 Countries or regions with the greatest output of citing papers on “material life cycle engineering”

《Table 1.2.12》

Table 1.2.12 Institutions with the greatest output of citing papers on “material life cycle engineering”

《2 Engineering development fronts》

2 Engineering development fronts

《2.1 Trends in top 12 engineering development fronts》

2.1 Trends in top 12 engineering development fronts

The top 12 engineering development fronts assessed by the Field Group of Chemical, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering are shown in Table 2.1.1. Among them, “combination of AI with chemical engineering,” “biomass substitution of polymer materials,” “development of microreaction system,” “wearable flexible electronic devices,” “biorefinery for chemical products from biomass renewable resources,” “key fabrication technology for advanced structural and functional integrated ceramic materials for major national defense demands,” and “intelligent bionic self-healing coating technology” are based on the published patents provided by Clarivate Analytics. The other five are recommended by the experts. The annual numbers of patents published from 2013 to 2018 are listed in Table 2.1.2.

“Combination of AI with chemical engineering,” “targeting the function design of materials with the assistance of computer simulation technology” (Table 2.1.1), and “catalyst design by AI” (Table 1.1.1) are in development for accurate production operations, efficient and smart manufacturing processes, and system-optimized design.

(1) Combination of AI with chemical engineering

With the increasing scarcity of resources and energy supplements, the requirement for the safe and environmentally friendly chemical engineering processes and the design, production, and control of the conventional chemical

《Table 2.1.1》

Table 2.1.1 Top 12 engineering development fronts in chemical, metallurgical, and materials engineering

《Table 2.1.2》

Table 2.1.2 Annual number of core patents published for the top 12 engineering development fronts in chemical, metallurgical, and materials engineering