From biomass to vitrimers: Latest developments in the research of lignocellulose, vegetable oil, and naturally-occurring carboxylic acids

Abstract

Thermosets are widely used for their excellent properties, but their permanent cross-linking makes them difficult to recycle. Covalent adaptive networks can address the recycling of thermosets due to their unique reversible transformations, which led to the concept of vitrimers. Vitrimer materials are expected to replace conventional plastics because they combine the removable properties of thermoplastic materials with the advantages of the bulk network structure of thermoset materials. This review details bio-based vitrimers based on cellulose, lignin, vanillin, eugenol, vegetable oils, and natural carboxylic acids, and provides an outlook on the future of vitrimers. With the increasing shortage of fossil resources, it is important to find a low-cost, resource-rich, and easily available biomass resource to develop fully bio-based vitrimer materials for material recycling and sustainable development.