Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Bio-Based Polymers: Toward a More Sustainable Future

The growing demand for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, coupled with the abundance of lignocellulosic biomass, has spurred research into bio-based polymers. This systematic analysis of 331 articles from the last decade reveals a significant increase in publications on this topic over the past six years. The results showed an increase in publications over the previous six years, focusing on synthesizing various polymers, with polyesters standing out with 168 articles. The developments are primarily focused on new synthesis protocol in a way to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties and the degradability of these bio-based polymers. Heterogeneous metallic catalysts were the predominant strategy for polyester synthesis, appearing in 132 articles due to their effectiveness under high temperatures and pressures. However, biocatalysis and microbial biotransformation are emerging as promising alternatives, with studies reporting the use of immobilized lipases and microorganisms to produce polyesters and polyhydroxyalkanoates. It is important to distinguish between biopolymers and bio-based polymers to avoid ambiguity. Current research is mainly at the proof-of-concept stage. Future efforts must integrate technologies for deriving monomers from biomass with sustainable synthesis protocols, followed by scale-up and economic feasibility studies to advance the field.