Renewable Resource-Based Epoxy Vitrimer Composites for Future Application: A Comprehensive Review

The composites industry is now turning to a new sustainable material called a biobased epoxy vitrimer. This material is a great substitute for traditional petroleum-based thermosets, which are not recyclable and cause environmental pollution and CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, biobased epoxy vitrimers are a sustainable option due to their recyclability, reprocessability, and repairability properties. Recent research has emphasized developing biobased epoxy vitrimers derived from vegetable oil, lignin, vanillin, etc. The covalent adaptation networks and material properties of these epoxy vitrimers have also been explored. This review examines the current trends in used biobased epoxy vitrimer materials in several applications such as adhesives, coatings, shape memory, self-healing, and composites. The review aims to provide proper guidelines for the preparation of biobased epoxy vitrimers that can significantly contribute to the sustainable development of biobased vitrimer research.