Bio-Sourced Epoxy Monomers and Polymers

The synthesis of polymers from renewable resources is a burning issue that is actively investigated. Polyepoxide networks constitute a major class of thermosetting polymers and are extensively used as coatings, electronic materials, and adhesives. Owing to their outstanding mechanical and electrical properties, chemical resistance, adhesion, and minimal shrinkage after curing, they are used in structural applications as well. Most of these thermosets are industrially manufactured from bisphenol A (BPA), a substance that was initially synthesized as a chemical estrogen. The awareness of BPA toxicity, combined with the limited availability and volatile cost of fossil resources and the nonrecyclability of thermosets, implies necessary changes in the field of epoxy networks. Thus, substitution of BPA has witnessed an increasing number of studies from both the academic and industrial sides. This chapter proposes to give an overview of the reported epoxide building blocks synthesized from biomass or from molecules that may be obtained from transformed biomass. After a reminder of the main glycidylation routes and mechanisms, this chapter will provide a brief description of the main natural sources of biobased epoxy molecules and the materials resulting therefrom.