Technology evolution in heterogeneous technological fields: A main path analysis of plastic recycling

Hoffmann, Jakob und Glückler, Johannes (2024): Technology evolution in heterogeneous technological fields: A main path analysis of plastic recycling. In: Journal of Cleaner Production, Bd. 468, 143083

Abstract

Driven by the ubiquity of plastic waste and its danger to environment and health, there have been increased efforts in the development of plastic recycling technologies. However, plastic recycling is a heterogeneous technological field which involves different application contexts, process stages, and technological approaches. In this paper, we study the structure of interrelated technological development of different recycling technologies. Utilizing patent citation data on more than 100,000 patents and focusing on textile applications, separation techniques, and biological recycling as example subdomains, we use patent-based main path analysis to delineate the co-evolution of technological trajectories. We report two main findings: First, comparative analysis of the three domains shows that differences in main path cohesion and homogeneity coincide with differences in development maturity and organizational concentration of patenting activity. Second, integrated analysis of the three domains shows a strong degree of historical dependence between textile recycling and separation techniques while biological recycling has so far mostly developed in its own niche.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Geowissenschaften > Department für Geographie > Wirtschaftsgeographie und Tourismusforschung
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 550 Geowissenschaften, Geologie ; 900 Geschichte und Geografie > 910 Geografie, Reisen
• ISSN: 09596526
• Sprache: Englisch