With the future depletion of fossil fuel, which experts predict to occur within 50-100 years, two major global challenges emerged; the primary challenge revolves around finding an alternative energy source, while the secondary concern is identifying renewable alternatives to petrochemical-based polymers.
Biomass provides a wide variety of promising molecules that can replace existing counterparts from fossil sources. Most of those molecules can be obtained by chemical, microbial, or enzymatic transformation of plant or animal biomass to produce renewable monomers that can be utilized to prepare remarkable bio-based polymers.
Due to their abundant renewable sources, multifunctionality, rigidity, and low toxicity, Alshami’s research group explores various bio-derived compounds as monomeric building blocks for producing diverse bio-based polymers tailored for coating resin applications.
In our research group, various monomers derived from Corn and Soybean agricultural residue, such as ethylene glycol, glycerol, succinic acid, itaconic acid, vanillin, and gallic acid, are employed as green building units to substitute for fossil fuel-based aliphatic and aromatic monomers in polymers.