Research progress and hotspot analysis of the use of graphene-based materials in advanced oxidation based on CiteSpace

Graphene possesses a unique two-dimensional structure, a high specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and controllable surface functional groups, and its use in advanced oxidation has received extensive attention. Graphene-based materials can effectively activate oxidants to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), and efficiently degrade organic pollutants, thereby compensating for the shortcomings of traditional water treatment technologies. The number of publications on graphene-based materials and advanced oxidation technologies has increased rapidly, but systematic summaries of these research results are lacking. In order to comprehensively reveal the research hotspots and development trends in this field, the visualization software CiteSpace was used to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 912 relevant papers published in the Web of Science Core Collection from May 2015 to April 2025. The research hotspots in this field were discussed, the main existing problems were summarized, and future research directions were predicted. The results show that the distribution of countries and regions involved in research in this field is quite extensive globally. China has the largest number of publications, accounting for 62.2% of the total. Cooperation between countries or regions is relatively extensive, but cooperation between different research institutions and teams is insufficient. The main research hotspots of graphene-based materials in advanced oxidation technology are graphene modification, degradation of emerging pollutants, and advanced oxidation mechanisms. The main problems in this field lie in the preparation of graphene-based materials and their impact on the environment, as well as in research on advanced oxidation mechanisms and their engineering applications. The results presented in this article can serve as a reference for researchers in related fields to analyze existing research outcomes, understand current research trends, and grasp future development directions.