Debondable Epoxy-Acrylate Adhesives using β-Amino Ester Chemistry

The reuse of multilayered materials, which are held together by structural epoxy adhesives, is a major challenge since the bonded substrates cannot be easily separated for recycling. In this research, we explore a one-pot strategy based on β-amino ester chemistry for the development of modified epoxy adhesives with on-demand debonding potential. For this, a formulation of commercially available acrylate, epoxy and amine compounds is used. The research starts with a systematic study, demonstrating the influence of the different compounds on the thermal and adhesive properties of the materials. Subsequently, the potential for debonding is demonstrated using rheological measurements and tensile tests. The fast, catalyst-free Aza-Michael reaction enables the straightforward preparation of such epoxy-based adhesives, while the reverse reaction allows for debonding at 120 °C. In general, a chemical design is demonstrated for producing an industrially attractive generation of debondable epoxy-based adhesives.