Cashew nut shell liquid-natural solution for industrial problems

Abstract

Renewable resources as substitutes for petrochemical derivatives have attracted considerable attention from polymer researchers worldwide. Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), an agricultural renewable resource and a by-product of the cashew industry, holds considerable promise in this direction, being a natural source of unsaturated alkyl-phenols. Its peculiar chemical features have been widely investigated and described in over a Century of scientific literature, and successfully applied in several final application fields, from abrasive materials to coatings. This Chapter highlights the successful experience of Cardolite Corporation, the leader in CNSL technology, applying cardanol and its derivatives at industrial level, validating their benefits and pioneering new applications for such a unique natural occurring molecule.