Enabling Green Manufacture of Polymer Products via Vegetable Oil Epoxides

Abstract

The industrial application of epoxidized vegetable oil is being diversified and commercialized at a rapid pace. It is attributed to its environment friendly nature compared to the synthetic Bisphenol A epoxides which are deemed toxic. However, there are concerns that the incorporation of such epoxidized vegetable oil has an undesirable impact on the main performance properties of tires due to its inherent flexible polymer chain. At the same time, new product innovations and synthesis capabilities can help us develop polymer products in a more sustainable fashion. This review first outlines the inherent challenges, the progress made thus far, and future opportunities for epoxidized vegetable oil derivatives. Next, the main application areas of these epoxides, such as plasticizers, coatings, and composites, are discussed in-depth. Possible design guidelines for surpassing the challenges to equivalent performance are also examined. A meticulous overview of the existing literature is conducted to summarize the recent approaches to epoxidized vegetable oil derivative products with a critical analysis of some of them. This contribution attempts to highlight epoxidized vegetable oil derivatives on the basis of existing challenges, recent research advancements, and their prospective future.

Approach to Circular Chemistry Preparing New Polyesters from Olive Oil

“…Furthermore, these materials were obtained with narrow polydispersities. It is interesting to note that synthetic polyesters can be employed as plasticizers to create new polymeric materials as well as coating precursors because of their low molecular weight. − …”

Recycling of Epoxy Resins with Degradable Structures or Dynamic Cross-Linking Networks: A Review

“…The majority of monomers for degradable EPR exhibit a trend toward transitioning to biomass. The use of biomass materials will help alleviate the dependence of EPR on nonrenewable resources and accelerate the sustainable development of EPR . Additionally, biomass materials are widely available in nature, providing ample space for the design of multifunctional, degradable EPR. , Among the various biomass materials, lignin, as the second-largest natural polymer in nature after cellulose, with abundant reserves, has the potential to maintain EPR’s mechanical properties due to its high content of phenyl rings in its structure .…”

Acid-Cured Norbornylized Seed Oil Epoxides for Sustainable, Recyclable, and Reprocessable Thermosets and Composite Application

“…Integration of biodegradability, lower cost, minor toxicity, and green chemistry provides a competitive advantage to bio-based materials compared to petrochemicals. − Naturally resourced polymer products are of the highest demand, − with strong research efforts on understanding their degradation mechanisms, recycling, and environmental impact. − Vegetable oils are a predominant set of natural resources majorly used in alkyds for baking finishes and metal coatings − or as comonomers in various reported research works − for varied applications like plasticizers, elastomers, and thermosets. ,, However, the application of vegetable oils in thermosets is limited by their lower glass transition temperature and sluggish reactivity . However, higher-reactive norbornene ring-incorporated functionalized vegetable oils and their epoxides offer massive promise to surmount the intrinsic constraints. ,− Epoxidized seed oils are currently being used for additives, plasticizers, stabilizers, and specialty coating applications, with many more perspectives being researched for novel applications. − …”