Abstract
This short critical review gives an insight on the potential that lignin and its bio-oils present towards the production of thermosetting epoxy polymers and composites. Green and sustainable ways of producing monomers and polymers from renewable sources are critical and lignin, as an underutilized bio-based waste material, presents a high exploitation potential. Due to its versatile and highly functional phenolic structure, the utilization of lignin or its depolymerized fractions (bio-oils) has been investigated in the last years as alternative for fossil-based epoxy resin pre-polymers and crosslinkers. Lignin can in fact be considered as a crosslinker for epoxy resins, especially after appropriate functionalization with amine groups or with additional hydroxyl groups, or it can be modified with epoxide groups towards the replacement of toxic BPA-based epoxy prepolymers. Furthermore, lignin derived pyrolysis or hydrogenolysis bio-oils may offer highly reactive soluble oligomers that after appropriate functionalization could be utilized as bio-based epoxy prepolymers. The lignin-based epoxy resins and composites exhibit similar or even better and novel properties, compared to those of pristine epoxy polymers, thus rendering lignin a highly valuable feedstock for further utilization in the thermoset polymer industry.
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