Ruthenium

Ruthenium (Ru) — 10-Year Trends

As of 2026-09-25 · the last 10 years

Research intensity has declined steadily over the last decade, currently sitting at about 74% of the element's all-time peak.

Research intensity ran from about 98% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 74% in 2026 — a steady decline, and the all-time peak (2015) lies before this window. Over the same span its share of research attention across all elements fell. Among the 118 elements, ruthenium has a larger-than-average research literature.

The number of papers involving the element rose from about 6,368 in 2016 to about 12,002 in 2025 (1.88x). That is slower than the literature as a whole grew over the same years, so the element lost ground in the wider body of research even as its own count rose.

The core of ruthenium’s recent research belongs to a community focused on Ruthenium Oxide Electrocatalysts for Acidic Hydrogen Oxidation. Here, ruthenium oxide and nanoparticle catalysts are developed specifically for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in acidic media, distinct from the broader community’s focus on oxygen evolution. Ruthenium is a minor presence in this much larger community, appearing in about 5% of its papers. However, this subcommunity is rising in importance for ruthenium, growing from about 9% to about 18% of the element’s recent research. The work is anchored by a 2023 review on electrochemical water splitting electrocatalysts, cited over 840 times, and a 2025 study in Science on tantalum-stabilized ruthenium oxide electrocatalysts, cited over 470 times.

A second major area is Ruthenium Polypyridyl and Arene Complexes for Photodynamic Therapy. In this field, ruthenium serves as the central metal in complexes designed for photodynamic therapy and nitric oxide release. Ruthenium is a minor presence in this community as well, involved in about 9% of its papers. Its share of ruthenium-specific research has remained steady at about 15% over the last two five-year periods. Key work includes a 2023 paper on ruthenium-based photoactivated chemotherapy, cited over 220 times, and a 2017 review on anticancer ruthenium complexes, cited over 1,000 times.

The third material community is Ruthenium-Catalyzed C-H Activation and Annulation. Here, ruthenium complexes drive bond activation, regioselective transformations, and annulation reactions. Ruthenium is a minor presence in this community, appearing in about 4% of its papers. Its share of ruthenium research has remained steady at about 9%. Notable contributions include a 2021 paper on homogeneous catalysis in electrochemical organic synthesis, cited over 610 times, and a 2021 review on visible light-activated radical coupling reactions, cited over 510 times.

Overall, the composition of ruthenium research is shifting. The electrocatalysis community is gaining share, while the therapeutic and catalytic synthesis communities hold steady. The remainder of the literature, which includes other smaller groups, has seen a slight decline in its relative share, moving from about 64% to about 58% of the element’s clustered research.

For a deeper look at the current standing of ruthenium research, see the Last 12 Months and Executive Brief reports.