An Overview of the Technologies for Adhesive Debonding on Command
Abstract
Adhesive bonding has found applications in various areas from high technology industries such as aeronautics, aerospace, electronics, and automotive to traditional industries such as construction, sports and packaging. Adhesives can be used to join metals, polymers, ceramics, cork, rubber, and combinations of any of these materials. The use of adhesive bonding rather than mechanical fasteners offers the potential for reduced weight and cost. However, one of the drawback is its “permanence” character as the joints are not easy to disassembly. In most of the cases, structural adhesive joints cannot be disassembled without destroying the substrates. Nowadays, the widely used new materials (i.e. ceramics, carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP), etc.) are usually expensive which create an increasing demand for recyclability, driven by economic as well as environmental reasons. Thus, the development of new technologies and processes for easy recycle and repair of bonded structures are becoming of great interest for the industry. If bonds can be broken without damage of the components, recycling is easier. Also for an environmental friendly disassembly of bonded structures, it is necessary to separate the joint between the bonded components so that the different materials can be reused on a qualitatively high level. As recycling becomes a necessary and global issue, reversible adhesives or debonding on command of the adhesive joints might become a basic requisite for disassembly and recycling in the future. This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in the use of debonding technologies and summarizes the different strategies and approaches to obtain adhesive debonding on command. The use of thermally expandable particles (TEPs), additives and nanoparticles in adhesive debonding are discussed. The use of thermally reversible Diels-Alder chemistry into epoxy resins and electrically induced debonding of adhesives are also presented.
Papers accepted for publication become the copyrighted property of the Annals of "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Fascicle XII, Welding Equipment and Technology. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, except in limited quantities for the non-commercial purposes of scientific or educational advancement, without permission in writing from the Editorial Board.
