244
R. Tesser et al.
using the glycerol-derived 1,3-propanediol. and the third group comprises natural
polymers which are used directly for plastics, such as starch and soy protein [38].
Soybean (Sb) has been recognized as a promising plant polymer for plastic uses
as it was used back in the 1930s and 1940s when Henry Ford was an enthusiastic
advocate for soybean uses in domestic and industrial products. Ford Motors demonstrated a car with 14 plastic panels made of resins consisting of soybean, wheat,
flax and ramie in a chemical formula. However, this ‘green car’ made of soybean
originated plastics’ project idea was suspended during World War II, and therefore
the plastic car experiment. A second unit was in production at the time the war broke
out, but the project was abandoned. By the end of the war, the idea of a plastic car had
fallen through the cracks due to energy being directed towards war recovery efforts.
The petroleum-based plastics became more economic (‘http://www.thehenryford.
org/research/soybeancar.aspx,’ n.d.).
Triglyceride oils are expected to play a key role during the twenty-first century
as enabling to synthesize polymers from renewable sources. Polymers form triglyceride oils may be prepared through various strategies depending on which one could
succeed the polymerization. The presence of oil/fatty acid chain in the polymer structure improves some physical properties of polymer in terms of flexibility, adhesion,
resistances of water and chemicals. Concluding that triglyceride oils as essential raw
materials to be used in various applications in the future [80].
Sustainable plastics of low cost and high performance were found to be essential
for meeting the demands of the growing global population with respect to health,
shelter, clothing, communication, mobility, food and energy. Bio-plastics production
has been demonstrated to be technologically feasible and capable of substituting
plastics from petrochemical feedstock. plant oil based biopolymers and precursors are
currently commercially viable and there are companies that offer derived bio-based
polymers (epoxy, alkydic and polyurethanes precursors being the most frequently
found) for specific applications. Plant oil based polymers were presented as a partial
replacement of synthetic polymers to introduce ‘green’ materials in the formulation,
and little more than that, the current trend is to increase the percentage of bio-based
materials maintaining good overall performance and/or developing tailored special
properties [128, 129].
Plant oils contain reactive functional groups in their fatty acid chains, such as
hydroxyls (CO and Lesquerella oil) or epoxies (vernonia oil). These reactive groups
can be used directly for polymerization, but its application tends to be limited because
of the relatively low functionalities. It requires some modification prior usage as
valuable monomers for polymer synthesis, which can be achieved through chemical
modification of the naturally occurring reactive sites found in triglycerides (e.g.
ester groups and carbon–carbon double bonds), opening synthesis routes similar to
those applied for petrochemical polymers. High-performance polymers are prepared
by crosslinking of these bio-monomers and incorporation of rigid components in
polymer chains [241].
CO and its chemical derivatives are used as raw materials for making different
types of products in chemical industries including in plastic products. There are
numerous reaction possibilities in CO due to the presence of three reactive points,
R. Tesser et al.
using the glycerol-derived 1,3-propanediol. and the third group comprises natural
polymers which are used directly for plastics, such as starch and soy protein [38].
Soybean (Sb) has been recognized as a promising plant polymer for plastic uses
as it was used back in the 1930s and 1940s when Henry Ford was an enthusiastic
advocate for soybean uses in domestic and industrial products. Ford Motors demonstrated a car with 14 plastic panels made of resins consisting of soybean, wheat,
flax and ramie in a chemical formula. However, this ‘green car’ made of soybean
originated plastics’ project idea was suspended during World War II, and therefore
the plastic car experiment. A second unit was in production at the time the war broke
out, but the project was abandoned. By the end of the war, the idea of a plastic car had
fallen through the cracks due to energy being directed towards war recovery efforts.
The petroleum-based plastics became more economic (‘http://www.thehenryford.
org/research/soybeancar.aspx,’ n.d.).
Triglyceride oils are expected to play a key role during the twenty-first century
as enabling to synthesize polymers from renewable sources. Polymers form triglyceride oils may be prepared through various strategies depending on which one could
succeed the polymerization. The presence of oil/fatty acid chain in the polymer structure improves some physical properties of polymer in terms of flexibility, adhesion,
resistances of water and chemicals. Concluding that triglyceride oils as essential raw
materials to be used in various applications in the future [80].
Sustainable plastics of low cost and high performance were found to be essential
for meeting the demands of the growing global population with respect to health,
shelter, clothing, communication, mobility, food and energy. Bio-plastics production
has been demonstrated to be technologically feasible and capable of substituting
plastics from petrochemical feedstock. plant oil based biopolymers and precursors are
currently commercially viable and there are companies that offer derived bio-based
polymers (epoxy, alkydic and polyurethanes precursors being the most frequently
found) for specific applications. Plant oil based polymers were presented as a partial
replacement of synthetic polymers to introduce ‘green’ materials in the formulation,
and little more than that, the current trend is to increase the percentage of bio-based
materials maintaining good overall performance and/or developing tailored special
properties [128, 129].
Plant oils contain reactive functional groups in their fatty acid chains, such as
hydroxyls (CO and Lesquerella oil) or epoxies (vernonia oil). These reactive groups
can be used directly for polymerization, but its application tends to be limited because
of the relatively low functionalities. It requires some modification prior usage as
valuable monomers for polymer synthesis, which can be achieved through chemical
modification of the naturally occurring reactive sites found in triglycerides (e.g.
ester groups and carbon–carbon double bonds), opening synthesis routes similar to
those applied for petrochemical polymers. High-performance polymers are prepared
by crosslinking of these bio-monomers and incorporation of rigid components in
polymer chains [241].
CO and its chemical derivatives are used as raw materials for making different
types of products in chemical industries including in plastic products. There are
numerous reaction possibilities in CO due to the presence of three reactive points,