Plant oil renewable resources as green alternatives in polymer science

Michael A. R. Meier,*^a Jürgen O. Metzger^b and Ulrich S. Schubert*^cd

* Corresponding authors

^a Fachbereich Technik, Fachhochschule Oldenburg/Ostfriesland/Wilhelmshaven, Constantiaplatz 4, 26723 Emden, Germany
E-mail: michael.meier@fh-oow.de

^b Institut für Reine und Angewandte Chemie, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Postfach 2603, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany

^c Laboratory of Macromolecular Chemistry and Nanoscience, Eindhoven University of Technology and Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
E-mail: u.s.schubert@tue.nl

^d Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Humboldstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany

Abstract

The utilization of plant oil renewable resources as raw materials for monomers and polymers is discussed and reviewed. In an age of increasing oil prices, global warming and other environmental problems (e.g. waste) the change from fossil feedstock to renewable resources can considerably contribute to a sustainable development in the future. Especially plant derived fats and oils bear a large potential for the substitution of currently used petrochemicals, since monomers, fine chemicals and polymers can be derived from these resources in a straightforward fashion. The synthesis of monomers as well as polymers from plant fats and oils has already found some industrial application and recent developments in this field offer promising new opportunities, as is shown within this contribution. (138 references.)

Article information

https://doi.org/10.1039/B703294C

Article type

Critical Review

Submitted

05 Jun 2007

First published

23 Jul 2007

Download Citation

Chem. Soc. Rev., 2007,36, 1788-1802

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