Cellulose‐Based Sustainable Polymers: State of the Art and Future Trends

Abstract

Nowadays, nearly all polymeric materials are produced from crude oil-derived monomers. With the steadily increasing demand for oil-based products and their decreasing availability in the near future, one of the main challenges of mankind is the replacement of crude oil as raw material by renewable resources such as biomass. So far, only a few polymers are available derived directly from cellulose as a main component of biomass by regeneration. On the other hand, a significant potential lies in the production of polymers from cellulose-derived monomers. A huge variety of different monomers is already available by convenient catalytic processes. This feature article focuses on the current status of mono- and resulting polymers derived either directly from cellulose processing and regeneration or by catalytic conversion to a number of monomers for the production of novel polymers and co-polymers.

Green Polymer Chemistry and Bio‐based Plastics: Dreams and Reality

“…[ 31 ] Traditional applications of cellulosic materials include wood as building materials, cotton for textiles, and hemp for ropes and sails-of strategic importance in naval history. Natural fi bers, such as fl ax, jute, hemp, and sisal provide excellent fi ber reinforcement for thermosets and thermoplastics.…”

Polypropylene-based wood-plastic composites: Effect of using a coupling agent derived from a renewable resource

“…Itaconic acid (methylene butanedioic acid) is a vinyl monomer containing two carboxylic groups, and is obtained through large-scale fermentation of agricultural wastes and carbohydrates such as glucose (Rose and Palkovits 2011). It is a white crystalline unsaturated dicarbonic acid with one carboxyl group conjugated to the methylene group (Willke and Vorlop 2001).…”

Single stage and countercurrent extraction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from aqueous phase systems

“…1. This is why it is listed in the ''Top 10 + 4'' list of the most promising bio-based chemicals by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which gives recommendations about the value of different carbohydrates for industry [3,6,7].…”