From vanillin to biobased aromatic polymers

Abstract

Aromatic compounds are platform chemicals used in the manufacture of commodity polymers. The development of bio-based aromatic compounds is expected to reduce the dependence on non-renewable resources. Lignin is the major source of bio-based aromatic chemicals and the development of lignin-based polymers is of broad interest. As one of the major commercialized aromatic compounds from lignin, vanillin offers limitless potential for the preparation of bio-based (semi)aromatic polymers owing to the presence of aldehyde and phenolic hydroxyl functional groups. This review highlights the recent advances in the construction of vanillin-based polymers, including thermosets (phenolic resins, epoxy resins, benzoxazine resins, etc.), thermoplastics (polyesters, polycarbonates, etc.), and covalent adaptable networks (CANs). An extensive analysis of the synthetic methods of vanillin-based monomers and the performance of the obtained vanillin-based (semi)aromatic polymers is provided, and future opportunities and challenges are also highlighted.