Bio–based polymers from lignin
Bowen Zhang, Guorui Qiang, Katalin Barta, Zhuohua Sun
Abstract
<p>Lignin, the most abundant natural aromatic compound on earth, offers valuable resources for the development of bio–based polymers. In recent years, a plethora of diverse polymer materials has been reported using either separated lignin or lignin–derived monomers. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of recent achievements and compare these two well–known strategies. While utilizing lignin directly as starting materials has advantages in terms of cost–effectiveness and wider options, employing lignin–derived monomers suffer from higher costs and limited structural variety. However, the well–defined structure of lignin-derived aromatic monomers, and retention of functional group characteristics make this a promising strategy for future applications. Through this review paper, we aim to inspire more researchers in material science to focus on lignin—an intriguing and emerging carbon-neutral biomaterial.</p>