Sustainable Bio-Based Epoxy Technology Progress

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments:
This review mainly summarizes the Significant progression in new bio-based epoxy material developments on new bio-based epoxy materials, i.e. bio-based epoxy resins, bio-based epoxy curing agents, and bio-based additives as well as bio-based epoxy formulations. This manuscript can provide some valuable information for the researchers in this field. Based on its present format, several items should be addressed before it can be accepted by Processes.

 

1.      Typical bio-based epoxy monomers and curing agents are listed in this review. The corresponding properties of some bio-based epoxy monomers or curing agents have been listed. It is recommended to supplement the parts not listed. For example, the properties or (potential) application areas of rosin-, sorbitol-, lignin-based monomers, and furan-based curing agent.

2.      Recent reports on functionalized bio-based epoxy resins should also be mentioned in the Introduction, such as Advanced Materials, 2024, 2311242; Molecules, 2024, 29, 4428.

3.      It has been reported that itaconic acid-derived epoxides have the potential to replace bisphenol A epoxides (ChemSusChem, 2014, 7, 555-562), so it is recommended to be listed and described separately.

4.      Bio-based epoxy materials are classified into bio-based epoxy resins, bio-based curing agents and bio-based additives. It is suggested to change resins to monomers/oligomers. In addition, the recent development of bio-based curing agents should be mentioned in the description of bio-based curing agents (Polymer Degradation and Stability, 2024, 229, 110988); Finally, the content about bio-based additives should be supplemented in part 3.

5.      Some minor errors in the manuscript need to be modified, for example, Figure 1.201.20 in the line should be changed to Figure19.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for taking time to review my manuscript. I agree with your suggestions and recommendations and have revised the manuscript accordingly.

Best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thank you very much for taking time to review my manuscript. I agree with your great recommendations and have revised the manuscript accordingly.

 

Best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In my opinion, the manuscript can fit within the scope of the journal. A review on sustainable bio-based epoxy technology is a valuable topic for sustainable development. Moreover, the self-citations are fine. The English can be improved. Moreover, I recommend improving the literature and write in the conclusions a paragraph about the current weakness and future steps that have to be considered for sustainable development.

Line 42: "...industrial product developments”. Please add a reference at the end of the sentence.

The section: 2.3 Bio-based novel epoxy resins requires literature on green epoxy resins to support Table 2.

Is there only a reference about “2.3.2 Cardanol-based epoxy resins”?

Is there only a reference about “2.3.3 Rosin based epoxy resins”?

Line 221: “…abundant bio-aromatic compounds”. Please, add a reference to support the sentence about general description of lignin. I suggest: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173591

Moreover, about lignin epoxy resins there are other articles: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c03248 , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110389 where different reaction mechanisms are described for the preparation of epoxy resins using lignin, please check.

Line 296: Please check the quality of Figure 18.

Conclusion: please add further paragraph where the weaknesses and future steps have to be reached for sustainable development for bio-based epoxy resins.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Lines 6-20: Please reformulate the entire abstract. The term “bio-based” is repeated too often making the text less fluent.

Lines 36-42, Line 57-62: same situation. Please reformulate.

Lines 68-71: For example, this sentence “Typical bio-based novel epoxy resins include vegetable oil-based epoxy resins, cardanol-based epoxy resins, rosin-based epoxy resins, sorbitol or isosorbide-based epoxy resins, lignin-based epoxy resins, and furan-based epoxy resins.” Can be changed to “Typical sustainable epoxy resins can be produced using bio-based chemicals such as vegetable oil, cardanol…furan.”.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for taking time to review this manuscript. I agree with your great suggestions and recommendations. The manuscript has been revised accordingly.

Best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Accept in present form.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you very much for your agreement on my revised manuscript.

best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors replied to some of my comments. I report below the comments which I did not find a reply and a couple of suggestions. Please, mark in yellow the modifications/changes in the manuscript and reply to each suggestion one by one. It will help the checking.

Lines 6-20: Please reformulate the entire abstract. The term “bio-based” is repeated too often making the text less fluent.

Lines 36-42, Line 57-62: same situation. Please reformulate.

Table 1 and Table 2: I suggest adding a colum where the references are reported.

Line 221: “…abundant bio-aromatic compounds”. Please, add a reference to support the sentence about general description of lignin. I suggest: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173591

Line 224: I suggest adding the mechanisms of lignin modifications (or some of them) reported in the new literature added. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c03248, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110389)

Author Response

Dear Reviwer,

Thank you very much for taking time to review this manuscript again. Attached file please find my reply to your comments and suggestions.

best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 3

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author replied to all my comments.

I only suggest adding references for section "2.3 Bio-based novel epoxy resins".

Author Response

Dear Reviwer,

Thank you very much for taking time to review my manuscript once again. The manuscript has been revised accordingly. Attached file please see my reply to your comments.

best regards,

Chunfu Chen

Author Response File: Author Response.docx