Temporal and spatial relations between patents and scientific journal articles: the case of nanotechnologies

Patent citations have been widely used in order to study inter-technology and science-technology relations. The present work aims at: i) exploring time relations and distance between technical/innovative activities and scientific knowledge, using journal articles citations in patents as a proxy; ii) exploring the origin of the knowledge cited in patents. The study is performed on a field particularly relevant both on the scientific and technological side, that of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. In parallel a field less on the edge of research (polymers) is studied in order to compare results and shed better light on what is happening in nanotech. Studied items show a common behaviour and a higher rate of citations and a shorter time lag between citing patents and cited articles for nanotechnologies rather than for polymers. Knowledge cited in patents shows in many cases a common origin with that of citing documents. Conclusions on these behaviours are drawn.Patent-research relations, Patent, Journal Article, Nanoscience, Nanotechnologies, Polymers, Technological trajectories, Data mining, Innovation, Knowledge diffusion

Research trends in nanotechnology studies across geo-economic areas

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current temporal and spatial research trajectories in nanoscience and nanotechnology studies in order to display the worldwide patterns of research fields across main economic players. The results show the leadership of Europe and North America in nanotechnology research, although the role of China has been growing over time. Current nanotechnology studies have been growing in chemistry and medicine because of applications of nanomaterials mainly in Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology. Results also show a relative higher scientific performance in nanotechnology research production by South Korea in comparison with Japan and other geo-economic areas. This research can provide vital findings to support research and innovation policies aimed at improving the development of this technological system for modern patterns of economic growth.Nanoscience, Nanotechnology, Technological Trajectories, Research Trends, Data Mining, Comparative Innovation Systems, Technological System

Il cluster delle nanotecnologie in Piemonte

The main goal of the paper is to shed light on the industrial structure of the local nanotech cluster, in order to make an industrial policy proposal to renew the local industrial system. The concept of industrial cluster and the main characteristics of nanotechnologies are discussed, to define the theorethical and the technological background of the empirical analysis. The latter is based on the characteristcs and the behaviour of the different actors of the nanotech cluster (research institutions, firms, technology transfer institutions). These actors are described by their quantitative and qualitative features. Finally, a SWOT analysis summarizes the key elements of the cluster and the opportunities of future growth. The results show that the Piedmont nanotech cluster is at the beginning its life-cicle and is not well defined in terms of industrial structure yet. In any case, as all the key actors of the sectorial innovation system are present in the area, it will be possible to foster the nanotech cluster through a local industrial policy based on subsidized technology transfer programmes.Firm, Cluster, Nanotech, Local development

Long time series of highly cited articles: an empirical study

Working Paper Ircres-CNR 12/2017. The study of how citations, received by scientific works, evolve with time is a relevant bibliometric topic. The present work aims at describing the evolution of received citations of highly cited scientific articles over a long time span (30 years or more). It tries to answer to the question on how such citation trends evolve, and on how much it is possible to assimilate them to a single model, by performing an empirical descriptive study. Thirty articles (the five most cited for each of the six Subject categories in two Research domains) are taken into account. Once obtained the citation received by the articles, their trends are traced and analysed. The empirical results show that received citations exhibit significantly different trends. Moreover, many articles are not affected by the phenomenon of aging. Such facts make it more difficult to generalize citation trends

Insights on the efficiency of Embodied Knowledge Transfer. Results from a localized initiative

WP 19/14; Embodied knowledge transfer is a relevant way of connecting public research and firms. The present work analyzes the results of a public initiative aiming at connecting research institutions and Small and Medium Enterprises of the Piedmont Region (northwest Italy). The initiative financed grants to employ young persons in possess of a university degree. Grantees were employed to spend part of their working time in a SME, and part in the collaborating Department/Institute. Drawing on the responses to the final survey of the project, the present work tries to determine whether grantees have been an efficient medium of knowledge transfer. Results show that in many cases they have been determinant, though the result can't be generalize

Nanotechnology patenting in Piedmont: analysis and links with research and industrial environment in the Region

Working Paper Ircres-CNR 08/2018. The aim of the present paper is the analysis of nanotech patent activity in Piedmont. The experimental work at the core of the article is based on a database of patents that are relative to assignees located in Piedmont and belong to the Cooperative Patent Classification class B82, nanotechnology. Once prepared, the database is analysed under several aspects: time evolution of patenting, characteristics of the assignees, technological content. The present paper also tries to connect patenting activities with the local industrial and scientific environment. At the end of the work results are summarised and conclusions are drawn

Linee guida per la realizzazione di un Osservatorio Regionalesulle Nanotecnologie e le Nanoscienze

RT 07; This research report presents the guidelines for the realization of a Regional Observatory on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies

Flussi di traffico attraverso il tunnel automobilistico del Frejus: un semplice esercizio di forecasting e alcune considerazioni a margine

Working Paper Ircres-CNR 03/2019. This research report presents data on the heavy traffic through the car Tunnel of Frejus, between the Susa Valley in Piedmont, Italy and the Maurienne Valley in Savoie, France. Once traffic data are presented a simple forecasting exercise is performed offering hypotheses on their future development. Data are also compared with those of other Italy-France border crossing, as well as with other traffic data also based on future scenarios. The report, though not conclusive, offers instrument to those wishing to deepen the problematics connected to the international commercial traffic flows and to their social, economic and environmental effects

Nanotechnologies for textiles, fabrics and clothing: an overview of the scientific literature on the topic

Working Paper Ircres-CNR 03/2015. Aim of the present work is the analysis of the scientific literature on the topic of Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies applied in the field of the study and production of fabrics, textiles and clothing. A dataset, obtained with a specific methodology, is analysed in order to describe the features and the evolution of this field. Several features of the dataset are highlighted in the study. Results on numbers and trends of the different features are presented and discussed, and at the end of the work conclusions on the evolution of scientific production on the topic are presented.