Biomimetic Adhesives with Tunable Mechanical Properties

Adhesives have a variety of uses and a variety of chemistries with formulations that include hot melt, rubber toughened, and pressure sensitive systems. Optimal bonding is needed for a range of substrates, joint geometries, and applications. A mismatch in stiffness between substrate and adhesive leads to stress concentrations and fracture when the bonding is subjected to mechanical load. Currently, there is a limited understanding of the properties that balance material strength versus ductility, and subsequently, the inability to create high performance optimized adhesives is present.

Researchers at Purdue University have developed a biomimetic terpolymer to optimize the ductility and toughness of an adhesive. This technology includes a composition of a novel biomimetic adhesive that is altered systematically to identify regions for optimal bonding. This technology includes the ability to "dial in" polymer moduli for specific substrates that can help solve material bonding problems in a wide variety of applications including rubber-to-metal bonding, flexible optical displays, and the construction of aerospace vehicles.

Advantages:

-Optimal balance between strength and ductility

-Efficient bondage between hard and soft substrates

Potential Applications:

Adhesives for the following industries:

-Automotive

-Aerospace

-Biomedical

TRL: 6

Intellectual Property:

Keywords: biomimetic terpolymer, optimized adhesive, high performance adhesive, strength and ductility, polymer moduli, rubber-to-metal bonding, flexible optical displays, aerospace vehicles, automotive adhesive, biomedical adhesive