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Journal of Polymer & Composites Review Article

Cardanol Glycidyl Ether in Advanced Materials: Recent Progress, Synthetic Strategies, and Future Perspectives

  1. S. Prakash Department of Chemistry, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. R. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology
  2. N. Haridharan Department of Chemistry, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. R. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology

Abstract

Cardanol glycidyl ether (CGE), a bio-based precursor and epoxy derived product has been emerged as a promising sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based epoxy materials. Due to the presence of a phenolic hydroxyl group and an unsaturated aliphatic side chain, cardanol can be effectively undergoes glycidylation to produce reactive epoxy monomers that has excellent flexibility, hydrophobicity, low viscosity, and notably good chemical resistance. In recent years, CGE-based systems have attracted remarkable attention for applications in coatings, adhesives, composites, UV-curable materials, and high-performance thermosetting networks. The incorporation of CGE into polymer matrices enhances their toughness, thermal stability, corrosion resistance, and mechanical performance with the reduction in the brittleness of the polymer commonly associated with conventional epoxy resins. Likewise, the renewable origin and lower environmental impact of glycidylated cardanol contribute to the growing interest in sustainable polymer development. Recent studies have also explored its utilization in flame-retardant nanocomposites, hybrid materials, and advanced functional coatings for industrial applications. This review highlights the recent developments in the synthesis, modification, curing behavior, structure–property relationships, and emerging applications of CGE-based materials, together with the current and future prospects for their large-scale accumulation in advanced polymer engineering.

Keywords

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