Dual-Cure Adhesives Using a Newly Synthesized Itaconic Acid-Based Epoxy Acrylate Oligomer

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomass Valorization

Background:

• Epoxy acrylate oligomers are crucial in adhesive formulations.
• Developing sustainable, high-performance adhesives from renewable resources is a key challenge.
• Itaconic acid (IA) is a promising bio-based platform chemical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel biomass-derived itaconic acid (IA)-based epoxy acrylate oligomer (EAO).
• To formulate and investigate a dual-cure adhesive system incorporating this new oligomer.
• To evaluate the performance of the developed adhesive and compare it with existing systems.

Main Methods:

• Esterification reaction between bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and itaconic acid (IA) to form bisphenol A diglycidyl ether diitaconate (BI).
• Characterization of BI using KOH value, FT-IR, and 1H-NMR spectroscopy.
• Formulation of dual-cure adhesive systems with varying BI content and assessment of thermal stability, adhesive strength, pencil hardness, and surface energy.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis and characterization of the IA-based EAO (BI).
• The dual-cure adhesive with 0.3 mol BI exhibited excellent thermal stability.
• Achieved an adhesive strength of 10.7 MPa, pencil hardness of 2H, and surface energy comparable to polycarbonate films.

Conclusions:

• The novel biomass-derived itaconic acid-based epoxy acrylate oligomer offers a sustainable route to high-performance adhesives.
• The developed dual-cure adhesive system demonstrates superior thermal and mechanical properties.
• This research provides a viable alternative to conventional petroleum-based adhesives.