Progress and Prospects of 3-D and 4-D Printing in Sustainable Development: A Scientometric Review

The convergence of 3-D and 4-D printing, with sustainable development has emerged as a critical research focus in the past decade. This convergence has generated a substantial body of literature, necessitating a thorough examination of the current state of knowledge. Therefore, this study employs a scientometric approach to analyze the recent decade literature retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science databases, across four application areas: food and agriculture, automotive industry, biomedical and health, and building and construction. This study provides a detailed review of publication trends, geographical distribution, international collaborations, and document cocitation within each application area. It offers insights into the collaborative landscape and intellectual structure of the current research domain. The inference reveals that the biomedical and health area of research has a high level of academic and industrial interests. The United States, the United Kingdom, India, and China have shown substantial individual and collaborative research efforts in the current area of research. In addition, the analysis highlights prominent research topics such as nonthermal food processing technologies, socially sustainable supply chain management, selective laser sintering, and corneal regeneration. This research emphasizes the prospects of 3-D and 4-D printing to drive sustainable innovation and development across multiple domains.