An update on the future prospects of glycerol polymers

Glycerol, a water-soluble polyol, is currently used in wide variety of markets, e.g. as sweetener drinks, an additive the food and cosmetics industry, or antifreeze agent, to name few. The blooming biodiesel production has created excess supply glycerol by-product. Researchers all around world are actively exploring strategies utilize this cheap abundantly available biobased molecule. To date, glycerol-based polymers have only been examined extensively for use biomedical applications; however, crude not viable such applications due presence impurities methanol residual fatty acids from process. However, increased volumes generated stimulated research on its various other industrial commodity chemicals, etc. In article, we summarize some efforts valorize polymeric polyurethanes, polyhydroxyalkanoates adhesives. © 2021 Authors. Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd behalf Society Industrial Chemistry.