Structure–properties relationship of fatty acid-based thermoplastics as synthetic polymer mimics

TLDR

Vegetable oils are increasingly used as polymer precursors, enabling the synthesis of diverse functionalized derivatives such as polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyamides. This review surveys recent advances in producing vegetable oil‑based thermoplastic polymers, specifically thermoplastic polyesters and polyurethanes. The authors emphasize atom‑efficient, green catalytic routes and processes that enhance the sustainability of these polymeric materials. The resulting bio‑sourced polymers exhibit a broad spectrum of thermo‑mechanical properties suitable for most current synthetic polymer applications.

Abstract

Nowadays the use of vegetable oils as polymer precursors is the subject of growing interest in the academic and industrial communities. Many synthetic pathways can be pursued from natural vegetable oils to yield different functionalized derivatives – also called synthons – and polymers, such as polyesters, polyurethanes, polyamides, etc. Herein, we widely overview recent progress in the preparation of vegetable oil-based thermoplastic polymers and, more precisely, thermoplastic polyesters and polyurethanes. Extra focus is also placed on the synthesis sustainability of these polymeric materials via atom efficient techniques, "green" catalyses and processes. The achievable bio-sourced polymers cover a wide range of thermo-mechanical properties that can respond to most of the current applications of synthetic polymers.