Abstract
Triglyceride oils are an abundant natural resource that is yet to be fully exploited as a source for polymers and composites. The different chemical functionalities allow the triglyceride to be converted to several promising monomers. When blended with comonomers, these monomers form polymers with a wide range of physical properties. This chapter describes the chemical pathways that are used to modify plant oils and allow them to react with each other and various comonomers to form materials with useful properties. Recent advances in genetic engineering, composite science, and natural fiber development offer significant opportunities for developing new, improved materials from renewable resources that can be biodegraded or recycled, enhancing global sustainability. A wide range of high-performance, low-cost materials can be made using plant oils, natural fibers, and lignin. By selecting the fatty acid distribution function of plant oils via computer simulation and the molecular connectivity, chemical functionalization and molecular architecture can be controlled to produce linear, branched, or cross-linked polymers. These materials can be used as pressure-sensitive adhesives, elastomers, rubbers, and composite resins.
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