Adipic acid, a highly abundant chemical that can be produced from biomass, was used to prepare an aromatic-free epoxy resin. Synthesis of the diglycidyl adipate was performed by a one-step process using epichlorohydrin and by a two-step process comprising allylation and epoxidation. The viscosity of diglycidyl adipate is 25 mPa.s, which is 99% lower than the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The storage modulus at 25 degrees C for cured diglycidyl adipate and DGEBA is 2000 and 3200 MPa, respectively. The alpha transition temperature through peak of the loss modulus and the peak of tan(delta), are 77 degrees C and 90 degrees C, respectively. Low-viscosity epoxy applications are discussed herein. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.