Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives: enabling debonding on demand through strategic molecular design

Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives constitute a rapidly developing class of materials defined by the modulation of adhesion upon exposure to an external stimulus or stimuli. Engineering these materials to shift between two characteristic properties, strong adhesion and facile debonding, can be achieved through design strategies that target molecular functionalities. This perspective reviews the recent design and development of these materials, with a focus on the different stimuli that may initiate debonding. These stimuli include UV light, thermal energy, chemical triggers, and other potential triggers, such as mechanical force, sublimation, electromagnetism. The conclusion discusses the fundamental value of systematic investigations of the structure–property relationships within these materials and opportunities for unlocking novel functionalities in future versions of adhesives.

Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives emerge as next-generation multifunctional materials with advantages that include strong temporary adhesion, debonding on demand, and tunable reactivity.