Nanomaterial applications and emerging trends in osteoarthritis from 2005 to 2025

Osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain, disability, and long-term functional limitation worldwide. With population aging and the increasing disease burden, there is growing interest in how emerging biomaterials are being applied to OA-related research and intervention. Among these materials, nanomaterials have attracted particular attention because of their potential roles in intra-articular delivery, cartilage targeting and retention, inflammation regulation, oxidative stress modulation, imaging or detection, and cartilage repair. However, a systematic bibliometric analysis that maps the broader OA-related application landscape of nanomaterials remains limited. This study analyzed publications from the Web of Science Core Collection from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2025. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to examine publication trends, national and institutional collaboration, author networks, keyword evolution, journal distribution, and highly cited literature. The analysis included 2,283 publications. Annual publication output showed an overall upward trend, progressing from an exploratory stage during 2005-2013 to steady growth during 2014-2019 and accelerated expansion during 2020-2025. China produced the largest number of publications, whereas the United States and several European countries showed stronger international collaboration. The main research themes were nanomaterial-based delivery systems, cartilage repair, inflammation regulation, oxidative stress control, sustained release, and regenerative applications. Keyword evolution indicated that the field has shifted from basic cartilage-related research toward more application-oriented topics such as smart drug carriers, cartilage-targeted delivery, ROS-responsive systems, nanozymes, ferroptosis-related mechanisms, and stem-cell-related strategies. Core journals included International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Chemical Engineering Journal, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Biomaterials, and Acta Biomaterialia. Local citation patterns further suggested that this field is supported by both OA-specific research and broader biomaterials or nanomedicine-related knowledge. Overall, nanomaterial applications in Osteoarthritis have developed into an interdisciplinary and increasingly application-oriented field. Future studies should focus on improving targeting specificity, intra-articular retention, biosafety, reproducibility, scalable manufacturing, and clinical translation. This bibliometric study provides a structured overview of the broader OA-related nanomaterial application landscape, its knowledge structure, research hotspots, and future translational priorities.