Switchable Adhesives for Multifunctional Interfaces

Joining two materials with an adhesive is an extremely common activity, but is most often irreversible. However, emerging and current applications ranging from consumer and medical products to soft robotics and wearable bio-monitoring devices demand strong adhesives which can be easily removed on-demand and subsequently reused. This requires new paradigms in adhesive science and engineering, resulting in the emergence of new classes of multifunctional switchable adhesives. Here summarized is the current state of the art in switchable adhesive systems, focusing on how devices fit into the basic science of adhesion while providing performance metrics for comparison across current approaches. Using fracture mechanics as a guide, systems are classified as functioning under one of three basic mechanisms: near-interface, contact area, or mechanical. These mechanisms must be initiated or triggered by a specific input, which can include mechanical, electromagnetic, fluidic, or thermal stimuli. Triggers and adhesion switching performance are compared through the use of a switching ratio, the interfacial energy release rate, and an estimate of mechanism timing. Finally, it is discussed that how the fundamental mechanisms relate to challenges and opportunities for switchable interfaces in future applications and adhesive systems.