Mapping low-carbon technology innovation in China’s dual-carbon strategy: evidence from publications and patents

Abstract

Background: Low-carbon transitions depend on both knowledge production and deployable technical solutions, yet bibliometric and patent studies often analyse these evidence streams separately. This study develops a publication–patent alignment framework to map thematic correspondence between Chinese research and patent domains under the dual-carbon strategy. Methods: The dataset comprises 14,293 Web of Science publications and 23,929 Incopat patent records retrieved under a 2021–2025 search window. CiteSpace clusters were represented by their log-likelihood ratio labels and salient keywords, whereas patent domains were represented by International Patent Classification subclass definitions. Candidate links were evaluated through a three-criterion functional screen and a term frequency–inverse document frequency cosine-similarity sensitivity check. Results: Direct alignment was identified between multi-objective optimisation and H02J, carbon storage and B01D, and ammonia/carbon-dioxide reduction and C01B/B01J. Transformative alignment linked environmental-regulation research with G06Q management technologies, whereas synergistic alignment linked air-pollution research with G01N/C02F monitoring and treatment technologies. Digital data-processing classes dominated the leading IPC distribution, while grid, storage, separation, chemical-conversion, and sensing classes formed a complementary physical-technology layer. Universities were prominent in both publication and patent activity, although this institutional overlap does not establish direct technology transfer. Conclusions: Records for late 2024 and 2025 are treated as partial because of patent-publication delays. The framework provides a reproducible, bounded method for comparing scientific themes with protected technical fields and offers stakeholder-specific implications for universities, enterprises, grid companies, and policymakers.