This systematic review comprehensively analyses the available literature on composite materials through a quantitative framework employed within the aerospace, marine, civil, and automotive fields. This bibliometric investigation elucidates prominent research trajectories, identifies existing gaps, and underscores nascent areas of inquiry within this disciplinary domain. A total of thirty-five scholarly documents pertaining to composite structures from the past two decades (1980 to 2023) were meticulously selected and scrutinized employing the VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20). The bibliographic coupling encompassing nations, organizations, author co-authorship, and the co-occurrence of keywords were illustrated for evaluation as network visualization diagrams. The analysis revealed that research on composite materials is inherently interdisciplinary and experiencing rapid evolution on a global scale. Among the various contributing nations, China emerges as the predominant contributor with seventeen publications; however, the United Kingdom ranks as the most frequently cited nation, followed closely by China, with 905 and 608 citations, respectively, both exhibiting an equal link strength of five. Notably, Africa appears to be lagging in this burgeoning field of study, thus it is advisable for scholars from the continent to intensify their focus in this area to mitigate the prevailing knowledge deficit. This review undoubtedly serves as a foundational reference for academics on the continent to enhance their familiarity with the latest advanced innovations, thereby promoting the optimal utilization of composite materials for maximal efficacy and efficiency.