A comprehensive review on bio epoxy based IPN: Synthesis, properties and applications

Research and development of nature friendly materials is gaining momentum due to the increasing environmental awareness. Presently, there is an increasing focus in the expansion of renewable natural resources especially bio resins and bio composites. Commonly available synthetic epoxy resins are of petroleum origin; but bio oils like soybean, canola oils etc. are extensively used as alternatives to synthetic petro-chemical resources for the synthesis of bio resins. Bio-epoxy resins/biopolymers have emerged as a new class of materials that are having potential characteristics over petroleum based polymers. Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) exhibit improved mechanical properties while comparing with the individual polymer components. Epoxy based IPN's are also becoming an important material in the field of polymer science. Nevertheless, epoxy based thermosets are not reusable and bio-degradable. Thus, bio epoxy based IPNs are getting much research interest but there are not much studies based on this. This comprehensive review throws light on bio-epoxy based IPN's, their synthesis, properties and applications.