Sustainable optics? A critical insight into biopolymer-enabled optics

The use of biobased polymers or natural inorganic materials in place of synthetic polymers or liquid crystals derived from petroleum to fabricate optical components establishes the concept of “sustainable optics”, at least for what concerns the environmental dimension of sustainability as these polymers are renewable and often biodegradable or compostable. To identify the main obstacles to be addressed prior to industrial uptake of these polymeric resins in the optics industry, we focus on two promising and widely studied biobased polymeric materials, namely nanocellulose and poly(limonene carbonate). The conclusions have implications also for the emerging bioeconomy and the undergoing reshaping of the chemical industry driven by sustainability megatrend.