Functional polymers from renewable plant oils

This focus review addresses recent progress on plant oil-based functional polymers and composites. Plant oils are one of the most ideal chemical feedstocks to replace fossil resources for a variety of industrial chemicals in the polymer industry. In this focus review, an environmentally benign coating system is demonstrated using plant oils as the starting substrate for the preparation of artificial urushi with high hardness and a high gloss surface. Epoxidized plant oils, mainly epoxidized soybean oil, are polymerized with designed inorganics, cellulose, and biodegradable aliphatic polyesters to afford functional biobased polymers and composites. Castor oil is used as the core of branched poly(lactic acid) to improve the physical properties of biobased plastics. These plant oil-based materials are significant for the molecular design of functional and high-performance biobased products for industrial applications to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse emissions.