Cellulose-based materials in environmental protection: A scientometric and visual analysis review

As sustainable materials, cellulose-based materials have attracted significant attention in the field of environmental protection, resulting in the publication of numerous academic papers. However, there is a scarcity of literature that involving scientometric analysis within this specific domain. This review aims to address this gap and highlight recent research in this field by utilizing scientometric analysis and a historical review. As a result, 21 highly cited articles and 10 mostly productive journals were selected out. The scientometric analysis reveals that recent studies were objectively clustered into five interconnected main themes: extraction of cellulose from raw materials and its degradation, adsorption of pollutants using cellulose-based materials, cellulose-acetate-based membrane materials, nanocellulose-based materials, and other cellulose-based materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose and bacterial cellulose for environmental protection. Analyzing the distribution of author keywords and thoroughly examining relevant literature, the research focuses within these five themes were summarized. In the future, the development of eco-friendly and cost-effective methods for extracting and preparing cellulose and its derivatives, particularly nanocellulose-based materials, remains an enduring pursuit. Additionally, machine learning techniques holds promise for the advancement and application of cellulose-based materials. Furthermore, there is potential to expand the research and application scope of cellulose-based materials for environmental protection.