Thermal decomposition behavior and flame retardancy of bioepoxies, their blends and composites: A comprehensive review

Biobased materials are the choice of the era and hence bioepoxies are gaining potential interest as excellent substitutes for commercial Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) based epoxy resins. Recent research suggests that the properties of biobased epoxies are in no way inferior to those of commercial resins and hence it may be anticipated that the bio epoxies will soon replace their commercial counterparts in almost every application. Nevertheless, the limitations of bio based resins such as low flame retardancy often diminish their utility in transportation, aerospace and electronics applications. The present review attempts to address these perceived issues of bioepoxy resins by consolidating the reports that focus on the flammability as well as thermal and fire retardancy of biobased epoxy monomers and resins, along with those of blends and composites. The review also identifies the various precursors used for the synthesis of bio epoxy resins with their characterization techniques. The classification of the various flame retardants that may be incorporated into bioepoxies has been attempted.