Renewable Resource Monomers and Polymers

Abstract

Until the beginning of the ninteenth century, it was generally accepted that organic compounds could only be produced in living organisms. A special “vital force” was believed essential for the synthesis of complex organic compounds. Friedrich Wohler, in 1828, heated the inorganic substance ammonium cyanate to form the well known organic compound urea. This discovery is considered by many to mark the beginning of modern synthetic organic chemistry. The development of large quantities of inexpensive “black gold”, petroleum technology (including cosmics, drugs, and plastics), allowed the emergence of a society based on synthetic materials. These two “happenings” coupled to minimize the impact of natural, renewable resources on our current society. With the exceptions of the traditional materials leather, cellulose, and wool, and to a small extent silk and natural rubber, modern society is devoid of large scale uses of renewable resource polymers.