The Prospering of Macromolecular Materials Based on Plant Oils within the Blooming Field of Polymers from Renewable Resources

This paper provides an overview of the recent progress in research and development dealing with polymers derived from plant oils. It highlights the widening interest in novel approaches to the synthesis, characterization, and properties of these materials from renewable resources and emphasizes their growing impact on sustainable macromolecular science and technology. The monomers used include unmodified triglycerides, their fatty acids or the corresponding esters, and chemically modified triglycerides and fatty acid esters. Comonomers include styrene, divinylbenzene, acrylics, furan derivatives, epoxides, etc. The synthetic pathways adopted for the preparation of these materials are very varied, going from traditional free radical and cationic polymerizations to polycondensation reactions, as well as metatheses and Diels-Alder syntheses. In addition to this general appraisal, the specific topic of the use of tung oil as a source of original polymers, copolymers, and (nano)composites is discussed in greater detail in terms of mechanisms, structures, properties, and possible applications.

Automated summary

This paper provides an overview of recent progress in the research and development of polymers derived from plant oils, emphasizing the increasing interest in novel approaches to synthesis, characterization, and properties of these materials from renewable resources. The use of various monomers and comonomers, as well as diverse synthetic pathways, highlights the wide range of possibilities for the preparation of these materials. Additionally, the specific topic of using tung oil as a source for original polymers, copolymers, and composites is discussed in detail, covering mechanisms, structures, properties, and potential applications.