Objective Erosion-corrosion in solid-containing multiphase flow poses a significant safety hazard for energy development and energy chemical pipeline systems, with the synergistic effects of erosion wear and electrochemical corrosion exacerbating metal material loss. Analyzing the research characteristics and evolution trends of the synergistic effects of erosion and corrosion, as well as identifying key research hotspots and emerging issues, can provide valuable decision-making support for addressing corrosion and wear challenges in pipelines and equipment across the oil, natural gas, and chemical industries.

Methods Knowledge maps were constructed to perform clustering analysis on relevant literature in the field of erosion-corrosion, both domestically and internationally, from 2000 to 2023. Key word co-occurrence, collaborator co-occurrence, and literature citation analyses were conducted to explore research hotspots and developmental sequences, as well as to review research characteristics and the evolution of hotspots over different periods.

Results Before 2010, the basic research on erosion-corrosion both domestically and internationally focused on the corrosion and wear mechanisms of carbon steel, leading to rapid advancements and the establishment of relevant erosion-wear and corrosion models. Recent burst terms indicate that the focus in the field of erosion-corrosion has shifted toward numerical simulation, protective coatings, and synergistic mechanisms. However, research on the synergistic effects of erosion-corrosion in multiphase flow spans multiple disciplines, and the mechanisms affecting metals in these environments remain unclear.

Conclusion In the future, it is essential to integrate advancements in fluid mechanics, materials science, electrochemistry, and surface engineering to enhance erosion-corrosion protection technologies and develop prediction models. Continuous interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to further investigate the complex synergistic mechanisms of multiphase flow and to strengthen pipeline protection and safe operational.