# Additive Manufacturing and Chemical Engineering: Looking for Synergies from a Bibliometric Study
## 5 Conclusions  
The present work constitutes a comprehensive full analysis of the published scientific literature on the state-of-the-art contributions of additive manufacturing to the chemical engineering field. To this end, a detailed bibliometric study of the documents identified was carried out with a view to determining the main quantitative characteristics of the scientific research on this subject. A discernible exponential temporal evolution in scientific production on chemical engineering and additive manufacturing was identified, exhibiting a markedly accelerated growth, particularly from the year 2015 onwards. This increase was attributed to technological advancements and an increasing demand for additive manufacturing. The observed exponential trend indicated that growth in this field would continue at a progressively accelerated rate in the near future, presenting challenges and opportunities for research in this field. Furthermore, the predominance of English as the dominant language in publications underscores its status as the universal language of scientific communication. The most common document type was articles, followed by conference papers and reviews. This reflects the importance of scientific journals as the primary medium for the dissemination of research findings. A thematic analysis revealed an applied and multidisciplinary orientation in additive manufacturing research, with significant intersections with chemical engineering, engineering, materials science, chemistry, and physics. In terms of country participation, the United States is the foremost contributor to scientific production, followed closely by China and Germany. Additionally, notable contributions have been made by European and Asian countries. With regard to the institutions involved, those in Singapore, France, Germany, and the United States were particularly noteworthy, with a focus on biofabrication, geometric design, and materials for additive manufacturing. The major journals covered a wide range of topics, varying in quality and impact. The most highly cited documents focus on themes such as bioprinting, the topological design of implants, and the properties of bioinks. The most frequently occurring keywords reflected the principal concepts and technologies in the field of additive manufacturing, as well as their biomedical applications. This underscores the significance and diversity of this rapidly evolving field of study. The application of bibliometric network analysis has afforded a comprehensive insight into the evolution and interconnection of themes in additive manufacturing within the field of chemical engineering, tracing the trajectory of these developments from their initial contributions in 2002. This analysis revealed trends and changes in the field of additive manufacturing research within chemical engineering over time, thereby providing valuable insights into its development and future direction. The global trends followed by researchers represented the evolution over time of the most relevant topics, identifying notable gaps and future needs. Indeed, there has been considerable interest in the potential of additive manufacturing for use in biofabrication and biomedical contexts. However, this has led to a relative neglect of the specific applications of additive manufacturing within the field of chemical engineering. Furthermore, this has resulted in the potential contributions that chemical engineering could make to the advancement of additive manufacturing technologies being overlooked. This analysis intends to provide a comprehensive and detailed perspective on the research on this subject, establishing a foundation for understanding its evolution, scope, and future direction. The fields of biofabrication, bioprinting, and biomedical applications represent a significant area of research, with a substantial body of work also emerging from the chemical engineering community. bioprinting employs a range of technologies, including inkjetprinting, micro-extrusion, and laser-assisted techniques.