Mapping Sustainable Materials Research in Brazil: A Bibliometric Analysis in the Context of the UN 2030 Agenda
Rodolfo Izquierdo, Erik Zampieri, Thalita Oliveira Rocha, Alfonso Pulgar, Edimar S. Duran, and Rafael Zadorosny
Departamento de Física e Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Engenharia, Caixa Postal 31, 15385-000, Ilha Solteira, SP, Brazil
Abstract
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), comprising 17 goals aimed at addressing global social, environmental, and economic challenges. Achieving the 2030 Agenda requires the accelerated development of sustainable materials. Due to its size, biodiversity, and environmental diversity, Brazil has strong potential to contribute to these challenges. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of sustainable materials research in Brazil within the SDG framework from 2015 to 2025. A total of 9,952 documents were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Bibliometric indicators analyzed include annual scientific production, citation trends, leading journals, institutions, and collaboration networks. Results show a steady increase in publications, from 279 in 2015 to 1,827 in 2025. The highest citation impact occurred in 2020 (~39,000 citations). Leading journals include J. Clean. Prod., Constr. Build. Mater., and Bioresour. Technol. Prominent institutions include USP, UNICAMP, UFRJ, UFSC, and UNESP. Conceptual structures were explored using author keyword co-occurrence and trending topic analysis. Results indicate that the studied materials frequently combine nanoscale features with enhanced properties, particularly in applications involving biomass, agriculture, and biorefinery concepts. These findings highlight Brazil’s strategic role in advancing sustainable materials aligned with global development goals.
Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, Sustainable materials, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Brazil.
Acknowledgements:
The authors acknowledge support from the INCT project Advanced Quantum Materials, involving the Brazilian agencies CNPq (Proc. 408766/2024-7, 150145/2026-8). This study was also financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.
Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, Sustainable materials, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Brazil.
Acknowledgements:
The authors acknowledge support from the INCT project Advanced Quantum Materials, involving the Brazilian agencies CNPq (Proc. 408766/2024-7, 150145/2026-8). This study was also financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001.
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