Vegetable oils based precursors: modifications and scope for futuristic bio-based polymeric materials

Vegetable oils or fats are one of the most important renewable resources and mainly consist of triglyceride esters with different fatty acid chains. These components contain a number of highly functional sites in the form of unsaturated -C = C- bonds, triglyceride ester groups, and allylic reactive positions. Therefore, they present a possibility for multiple ranges of chemical transformations and also produce new and novel bio-based monomers for the synthesis of polymers with considerable bio-degradability. Vegetable oils and the chemicals derived thereof come from non-exhaustible and renewable resource. They are eco-friendly and emerging as sustainable alternates to the chemicals or monomers derived from limitedly available petroleum source, which are also known for their toxicity and environmental pollution. The present review discusses and analyses the possible application areas and summarise the diverse chemical modifications namely, hydrogenation, trans-esterification, epoxidation, along with various polymerization processes that have been reported in the literature. The case of very less explored non-edible oil derived from Cassia fistula (Indian laburnum), as a futuristic precursor especially in the polymer synthesis has been highlighted. We believe that the commercial potential and opportunities for such sustainable materials in general and bio-degradable polymers or plastics in particular will emerge on the global market in the near future.