Abstract
Versatile polymers with highly adjustable characteristics and a broad range of applications are possibly developed owing to the contemporary industrial polymerization techniques. However, industrial production of large amounts of chemicals and polymers heavily depends on petroleum resources which are dwindling and unsustainable. Of particular interest is to utilize sustainable and green resources for the manufacture of polymeric materials. The efficient transformation of bio-glycerol to the relevant functional derivatives are being widely investigated owing to the increasing demand for enhancing the value of glycerol manufactured by biodiesel and oleochemical industries. With respect to glycerol-based polymer chemistry and technology, considering the economy and environmental benefits, using effective catalysts for the selective transformation of bio-glycerol and urea into glycerol carbonate (GC) as a polymer monomer is of great significance. In this review, recent studies on GC synthesis involving the catalysts such as zinc, magnesium, tungsten, ionic liquid-based catalysts, reaction conditions, and possible pathways are primarily described. Some critical issues and challenges with respect to the rational development of heterogeneous catalytic materials like well-balanced acid-base sites are also illustrated.
Highlights
Modern life depends on polymers, from materials applied in the manufacture of clothing, houses, cars, and airplanes to those demonstrating complex adhibitions in medicine, diagnostics, and electronics [1,2,3,4]
It is reported that merely 6% of the oils furnished globally are used to produce polymers, but the raw resources and their end-of-life options will arouse the important environmental issues [5]
Research has been focusing basically on developing the renewable feedstocks to substitute fossil raw sources and on opening-up the end-of-life options that can provide materials that are feasible in recycling or biodegradation [6, 7]
Summary
Modern life depends on polymers, from materials applied in the manufacture of clothing, houses, cars, and airplanes to those demonstrating complex adhibitions in medicine, diagnostics, and electronics [1,2,3,4]. A vast majority of polymers have been contributing greatly to our better daily life of enhanced quality and cleaner living environments, for instance, as materials capable of purifying water or as polymers bearing the better fuel economy in aerospace utilizations. Most of these polymers are supplied by the traditional petrochemicals. Two procedures are used to prepare sustainable polymers: decreasing the environmental influence of traditional manufacture, such as by employing biomass materials for the manufacture of known monomers or polymers like polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene; and preparing the novel, and “sustainable” structures like polylactide from renewable resources that are applied. GC can serve as the vital building block to prepare polymers, such as polycarbonates, polyglycerol esters, hyperbranched polyols, and nonisocyanate polyurethanes [30, 31]
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