100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Polymers from Lignocellulosic Biomass. Current Challenges and Future Opportunities

Sustainable polymers from lignocellulosic biomass have the potential to reduce the environmental impact of commercial plastics while also offering significant performance and cost benefits relative to petrochemical-derived macro-molecules. However, most currently available biobased polymers are hampered by insufficient thermomechanical properties, low economic feasibility (e.g., high relative cost), and reduced scalability in comparison to petroleum-based incumbents. Future biobased materials must overcome these limitations to be competitive in the marketplace. Additionally, sustainability challenges at the beginning and end of the polymer lifecycle need to be addressed using green chemistry practices and improved end-of-life waste management strategies. This viewpoint provides an overview of recent developments that can mitigate many concerns with present materials and discusses key aspects of next-generation, biobased polymers derived from lignocellulosic biomass.