The use of renewable feedstock in UV-curable materials-A new age for polymers and green chemistry

Abstract

This review aims to cover the state of the art of renewable feedstock use in materials production using photopolymerization processes. This area of investigation is an emerging field of research, and it combines biosourced molecules with a cheap and rapid radiative processing method that avoids any emission of volatile organic compounds. The main classes of naturally occurring molecules and macromolecules such as lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, polyenes, etc. are detailed. The way they are used or integrated in photopolymerizable systems are described in relation to their applications: coatings, biomaterials, biodegradable drug delivery systems, microelectronics or optoelectronics. This critical review takes into account the reactivity of the various compounds as well as their cytotoxicity, biodegradability and finally their end uses. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.