Renewable polymeric materials from vegetable oils: a perspective

The utilization of vegetable oils is currently in the spotlight of the chemical industry, as they are one of the most important renewable platform chemicals due to their universal availability, inherent biodegradability, low price, and superb environmental credentials (i.e., low ecotoxicity and low toxicity toward humans). These natural properties are now being taken advantage of in research and development, with vegetable oil derived polymers/composites being used in numerous applications including paints and coatings, adhesives, and biomedicine.