Exploring the Frontier: Plant-Based Coatings Innovations

The utilization of renewable resources in polymer science has gained significant attention because of environmental concerns and the search for sustainable alternatives. Among these, vegetable oils (VOs) have emerged as promising feedstocks for the synthesis of polymeric materials, particularly for polyurethane (PU) based coatings. PU coatings are renowned for their excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance. VOs have a wide availability, sustainability, and potential to replace petrochemical-based counterparts. This chapter forecasts the advancements in utilizing VOs as key components in coating formulations. There are various strategies for synthesizing polyols from different VOs, such as soybean, linseed, and castor oils. They can be modified in VO-based polyols by many approaches such as acrylation, epoxidation, and hydroformylation. These polyols are then utilized in the synthesis of PU coatings through the reaction with diisocyanates, yielding coatings with tailored properties suitable for diverse applications ranging from automotive to biomedical fields. Moreover, advancements in non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) coatings have emerged as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional PUs by eliminating the use of toxic isocyanates. These systems involve the reaction of VO-based polyols with cyclic carbonates or epoxides, eliminating the utilization of hazardous isocyanates. These coatings exhibit promising mechanical properties, adhesion, and corrosion resistance, ensuring coatings meet performance requirements across multiple criteria for diverse industrial applications.