Biomass-derived low-carbon polymer materials

Abstract The ability to utilize carbon-based energy and materials determines the level of human civilization. There is no doubt that the emergence of synthetic polymer materials 100 years ago has given rise to modern civilization. In the future, the development of human society highly demands sustainable polymer materials. This perspective article will introduce the production of liquid fuel briefly and sustainable polymers in detail for creating a closed-loop circular economy system from non-food biomass and CO2. We propose the concept of low-carbon polymers, which have a carbon content that is close to that of cellulose (~50 wt.%, or rich in oxygen or other heteroatoms), for example, CO2-based polymers, poly(lactic acid) and poly(glycolic acid), and their industrialization attempts. The development and application of low-carbon polymers are challenged by the need for cost-effective production of oxygen-rich monomers, innovative polymerization methods, and suitable theoretical frameworks. Additionally, it is essential to optimize the balance between their physical properties and functional attributes such as biodegradability and recyclability to meet diverse application requirements. Biomass-derived low-carbon polymers are potential to the innovation of sustainable alternatives to traditional carbon-carbon-chain polymers.