Debondable Epoxy-Acrylate Adhesives using β-Amino Ester Chemistry

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Multilayered materials bonded with structural epoxy adhesives pose recycling challenges due to difficult substrate separation.
• Developing recyclable materials is crucial for sustainable manufacturing and waste reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer modified epoxy adhesives with on-demand debonding capabilities.
• To explore a one-pot synthesis strategy for creating these advanced adhesives.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a formulation of commercially available acrylate, epoxy, and amine compounds.
• Investigated the influence of different compounds on thermal and adhesive properties.
• Assessed debonding potential using rheological measurements and tensile tests.

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared epoxy-based adhesives via a fast, catalyst-free Aza-Michael reaction.
• Demonstrated on-demand debonding of the adhesives at 120 °C.
• Characterized the thermal and adhesive properties influenced by formulation components.

Conclusions:

• A chemical design for industrially attractive, debondable epoxy-based adhesives was demonstrated.
• The developed adhesives offer a viable solution for improving the recyclability of bonded multilayered materials.
• The one-pot strategy provides a straightforward method for synthesizing these advanced adhesive systems.