Synthetic adhesives play a crucial role in holding together solid materials through interfacial interactions. Thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives are important types of synthetic adhesives, with thermoplastic adhesives being reassemblable and thermosetting adhesives exhibiting high adhesive strength and creep resistance. However, there is a need to combine the advantages of both types and develop high bonding strength, reassemblable adhesives. Here, epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) was used to prepare adhesive networks and Diels-Alder bonds were incorporated to enhance reassembly ability. The ESO was functionalized with furyl groups and cross-linked via the reaction between furyl and imide groups to involve the Diels-Alder bonds. The resulting adhesive exhibited good solvent resistance and mechanical properties, which could be regulated by adjusting the quantity of cross-linker. The prepared adhesives also demonstrated self-healing capabilities, as the scratch on the surface gradually diminished with heating. Additionally, the adhesives showed the ability to undergo recycling without significant changes in properties. The prepared adhesives exhibited hydrophilicity and the flow characteristics during reassembly were characterized by a decrease in torque. This study provides a promising approach for the development of synthetic adhesives with reassembly ability, which has important implications for the field of bonding.
Keywords: Diels–Alder; dynamic covalent bonds; reassembly adhesive; soybean oil.