Integrated manufacturing of REciclable multi-material COmposites for the TRANSport sector
Supramolecular Interface Engineering via Interdiffusion for Reusable and Dismantlable Polymer Adhesion
Reversible adhesion via host–guest complex formation at the polymer interface is achieved by externally controlling the complexation through applied stimuli. Neutron reflectometry analysis of the adhesion interface revealed that the presence of host–guest complexes hinders the polymer interdiffusion by despite promoting adhesion strength.Controllable adhesion that enables both reuse and dismantling is a key requirement for sustainable materials and device integration. Here,a polymeric adhesion system is demonstrated based on reversible interactions at the interface, in which the association and dissociation of supramolecular complexes are externally regulated by thermal and chemical stimuli. By tuning the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymers, chain mobility and complex reformation are simultaneously optimized, leading to enhanced interdiffusion and bond recombination at the adhesion interface. Neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements with deuterium labeling revealed that the interfacial width increased with annealing temperature, reaching up to 24.4 nm at 200 °C after 24 hours. The presence of reversible bonds suppressed polymer interdiffusion despite promoting adhesion strength. The resulting materials exhibit excellent reusability and dismantlability under mild stimuli, with strong potential for applications in recyclable electronics, automotive manufacturing, and temporary assembly technologies.
» Publication Date: 03/10/2025
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 768737
