Vegetable Oil Seeds as Biomass Resource for Potential Applications in Biofuel and Biomaterials

The ever-increasing awareness about the environmental and global warming problems has also led us to increase the use of alternative and sustainable sources for energy and material-related applications. Apart from energy applications, the use of sustainable resources has also gained attention in other potential applications worldwide, especially in industries involved in the production of biobased fuels and biomaterials. Among the sources used for biomaterials and related products, the use of vegetable oil seeds as a biomass resource is of great prominence due to the availability of a wide range of sources and varieties of plant-based seeds. The present chapter focuses on the utilization of castor seed oil and its products (an agricultural-based feedstock) as a biomass source for a wide range of oleochemical products for potential applications ranging from biolubricants to biomaterials.