Note: Thermally removable epoxy adhesives incorporating thermally reversible diels-alder adducts

Thermally reversible adhesives are prepared through the reaction of aliphatic diamines and a diepoxy compound containing two Diels-Alder adducts. The diepoxy compound is formed via the Diels-Alder reaction between two epoxy-containing furans and a bismaleimide. The adhesive displays a T g of m 40°C and a constant shear modulus up to approximately 90°C. At temperatures exceeding 90°C the retro Diels-Alder reaction occurs, which leads to a significant loss in modulus. The loss of modulus is reversible with temperature. A thermally reversible adhesive is proposed based upon the loss of modulus at an elevated temperature, i.e., adhesives bonds are easily broken at elevated temperature where the modulus is low.