Ternary Hybrid Nanofluid Research a Bibliometric Review of Global Evolution and Emerging Prospects

Abstract

Thermal management remains a central challenge across modern engineer- ing. Power systems and electronic devices continue to miniaturise while generating greater heat loads. The need for advanced working fluids has intensified as a result. Ternary hybrid nanofluids suspend three distinct nanoparticle species within a single base fluid. They have emerged as a promising response to this challenge. Research output has grown rapidly. Yet a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of this specific field has not previously been published. This study addresses that gap. It presents a systematic bibliometric analysis of the global literature on ternary hybrid nanofluids using data from the Scopus database. The corpus comprises 1,274 articles in the English language indexed up to 7 May 2026. Standard bibliometric indicators and network visualisation through VOSviewer were employed. Publication growth, authorship patterns, country level collabo- ration, citation impact, funding sources, and thematic evolution were all traced. The analysis reveals a sharp increase in scholarly output. Numbers rose from a single article in 2019 to 532 publications in 2025. The Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry and Case Studies in Thermal Engineering emerge as the most productive outlets. The latter records the highest citation count. Saudi Arabia, India, Malaysia, China, and Pakistan appear as the most active contributing nations. King Khalid University and King Saud University stand out as both leading publishers and principal funding bodies. Keyword analysis shows a distinct thematic shift. The field is moving away from purely fundamental investigations toward application driven research. Intelligent modelling through neural networks, plasma flow environments, phase change heat transfer, advanced cooling technologies, and biomedical applications all feature prominently in this trend. The novelty of this work lies in delivering the first integrated bibliometric mapping dedicated specifically to ternary hybrid nanofluids within fluid dynamics. Publication dynamics, collaboration structures, funding landscapes, and thematic trajectories are combined into a single coherent framework. The study offers researchers a practical reference for journal selection, partnership identification, funding exploration, and future direction setting in this rapidly expanding domain.