Recent
years have seen rapid growth in utilizing vegetable oils
to derive a wide variety of polymers to replace petroleum-based polymers
for minimizing environmental impact. Nonedible castor oil (CO) can
be extracted from castor plants that grow easily, even in an arid
land. CO is a promising source for developing several polymers such
as polyurethanes, polyesters, polyamides, and epoxy-polymers. Several
synthesis routes have been developed, and distinct properties of polymers
have been studied for industrial applications. Furthermore, fillers
and fibers, including nanomaterials, have been incorporated in these
polymers for enhancing their physical, thermal, and mechanical properties.
This review highlights the development of CO-based polymers and their
composites with attractive properties for industrial and biomedical
applications. Recent advancements in CO-based polymers and their composites
are presented along with a discussion on future opportunities for
further developments in diverse applications.