1、BIO-BASED POLYMERS|1BIO-BASED POLYMERS:A GREEN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL PLASTICS Plastics are found in a wide variety of products,ranging from grocery bags to car bumpers and are composed predominantly of synthetic polymers derived from petroleum.It is estimated that the plastic-manufacturing proc

2、esses consume 8-10%of the global oil supply,and the number is forecast to double by 2040.1 Petroleum is non-renewable,and the oil resources are rapidly being depleted from planet earth.Unless alternative sources are well established,the oil shortage will negatively impact plastic production.The answ

3、er is bio-based polymers,sometimes called biopolymers,which refer to polymers that are prepared from biomass.Bio-based polymers have multiple advantages over fossil resource-derived plastics.2,3 They are generated from renewable sources,which also fix CO2 from the atmosphere.If bio-based polymers ar

4、e prepared using similar amounts of energy to plastics from non-renewable sources,their fixation of CO2 will decrease greenhouse gas emissions at the same output.4 In addition,many bio-based polymers are biodegradable,5 providing more flexibility in disposing products made with them.Bio-based polyme

5、r research has been trending in recent years and was chosen as one of the top ten emerging technologies for the year 2019.6 Here,we explore the various types of bio-based polymers,highlight recent progress in research into these alternatives to traditional plastics and review the interest in them ov

6、er the last two decades.IntroductionBio-based polymers are biologically sourced and thus help to tackle environmental issues by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels,while biodegradability refers to the capacity for these materials to be broken down by living organisms-not all bio-based polymers are b