Lignin is the most abundant source of renewable ready-made aromatic chemicals for making sustainable polymers. However, the structural heterogeneity, high polydispersity, limited chemical functionality and solubility of most technical lignins makes them challenging to use in developing new bio-based polymers. Recently, greater focus has been given to developing polymers from low molecular weight lignin-based building blocks such as lignin monomers or lignin-derived bio-oils that can be obtained by chemical depolymerization of lignins. Lignin monomers or bio-oils have additional hydroxyl functionality, are more homogeneous and can lead to higher levels of lignin substitution for non-renewables in polymer formulations. These potential polymer feed stocks, however, present their own challenges in terms of production (i.e., yields and separation), pre-polymerization reactions and processability. This review provides an overview of recent developments on polymeric materials produced from lignin-based model compounds and depolymerized lignin bio-oils with a focus on thermosetting materials. Particular emphasis is given to epoxy resins, polyurethanes and phenol-formaldehyde resins as this is where the research shows the greatest overlap between the model compounds and bio-oils. The common goal of the research is the development of new economically viable strategies for using lignin as a replacement for petroleum-derived chemicals in aromatic-based polymers.

木质素是可再生的现成芳香族化学品的最丰富来源，可用于制造可持续聚合物。然而，大多数技术木质素的结构异质性，高多分散性，有限的化学功能和溶解度使它们难以用于开发新的生物基聚合物。近来，人们更加关注从低分子量的基于木质素的结构单元开发聚合物，例如木质素单体或木质素衍生的生物油，它们可以通过木质素的化学解聚获得。木质素单体或生物油具有额外的羟基官能度，更均匀，可以导致木质素取代聚合物配方中不可再生物质的水平更高。但是，这些潜在的聚合物原料在生产（即产量和分离度）方面面临着自己的挑战，预聚合反应和可加工性。这篇综述概述了由木质素基模型化合物和解聚木质素生物油生产的聚合物材料的最新发展，重点是热固性材料。特别强调了环氧树脂，聚氨酯和苯酚甲醛树脂，因为这是研究表明模型化合物与生物油之间最大的重叠之处。该研究的共同目标是开发新的经济上可行的策略，以木质素代替芳烃基聚合物中石油衍生的化学品。特别强调了环氧树脂，聚氨酯和苯酚甲醛树脂，因为这是研究表明模型化合物与生物油之间最大的重叠之处。该研究的共同目标是开发新的经济上可行的策略，以木质素代替芳烃基聚合物中石油衍生的化学品。特别强调了环氧树脂，聚氨酯和苯酚甲醛树脂，因为这是研究表明模型化合物与生物油之间最大的重叠之处。该研究的共同目标是开发新的经济上可行的策略，以木质素代替芳烃基聚合物中石油衍生的化学品。