As of 2026-09-11 · the last 10 years
Platinum’s research intensity currently sits at about 44% of its all-time peak, a level reached in 1988, which lies before this ten-year window.
Research intensity ran from about 54% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 44% in 2026 — a steady decline, and the all-time peak (1988) lies before this window. Over the same span its share of research attention across all elements held steady. Among the 118 elements, platinum has a larger-than-average research literature.
The number of papers involving the element rose from about 38,836 in 2016 to about 77,696 in 2025 (2.0x). That matches the growth of the literature as a whole over the same years: the general tide of scientific output, not a surge specific to the element.
The largest share of platinum’s recent research belongs to Platinum Chemotherapy and Resistance in Solid Tumors, accounting for about 35% of the element's work. This community focuses on cisplatin-based regimens and the development of resistance in ovarian, lung, and bladder cancers, with distinctive work on platinum-based chemotherapy and cisplatin resistance. Platinum is one strand of a broader community, with about 17% of its papers involving the element. Its share has remained steady over the last decade. A key paper in this area is "Nivolumab for Recurrent Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck" (2016), cited over 5,100 times, alongside more recent high-impact work like "Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Untreated Advanced Urothelial Cancer" (2024), cited over 970 times.
A second major area is Platinum Catalysis for PEM Fuel Cell Electrocatalysis, representing about 11% of recent research. Here, platinum nanoparticles and catalysts are central to methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction in polymer electrolyte membranes. Platinum is one strand of a broader community, with about 15% of its papers involving the element. This share has held steady. Notable contributions include "Recent Advances in Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction" (2016), cited over 3,900 times, and "Sulfur-anchoring synthesis of platinum intermetallic nanoparticle catalysts for fuel cells" (2021), cited over 880 times.
The third named community is Platinum Electrocatalysis for Hydrogen Oxidation and Fuel Cells, holding about 7% of the element's research. This work centers on platinum nanoparticles and single-atom catalysts for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in proton and anion exchange membrane fuel cells. Platinum is a minor presence in a much larger community, with about 3% of its papers involving the element. Its share has remained steady. Key papers include "A comprehensive review on the electrochemical parameters and recent material development of electrochemical water splitting electrocatalysts" (2023), cited over 820 times, and "Facilitating alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction on the hetero-interfaced Ru/RuO2 through Pt single atoms doping" (2024), cited over 420 times.
Overall, the composition of platinum research has remained stable, with the three named communities holding their relative positions while the remainder of the literature accounts for the other 47%.
For a deeper look at platinum’s current standing, see the Last 12 Months and Executive Brief reports.
What changed in the past year: new papers, shifting applications, emerging collaborators. See the momentum over a shorter window than the decade view.
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