A shape-memory adhesive has been prepared that exhibits two levels of reversible adhesion.  The adhesive is a semi-crystalline crosslinked polymer that contains dynamic disulfide bonds. Melting of the crystalline regions via heat results in a drop in the modulus of the material that facilitates wetting onto and enhances surface contact of the substrate to form an adhesive bond.  Exposure to higher heat or UV light results in dynamic exchange of the disulfide bonds which yields a further drop in the modulus/viscosity that improves surface wetting/contact and strengthens the adhesive bond.  This improvement is shown to apply over a different substrates, contact forces and deformation modes.  Furthermore, the adhesive acts as a thermal shape memory material and can be used to create joints that can reposition themselves upon application of heat.

Stimuli-responsive reversible two-level adhesion from a structurally dynamic shape memory polymer

252nd National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.