Multiple hydrogen bonds endow single-component solvent-free adhesives with high flexibility and self-healing properties

Abstract

The development of sustainable and multifunctional single-component adhesives is highly desired yet challenging owing to the difficulty to regulate intermolecular interactions. Here we synthesize a single-component solvent-free adhesive driven via multiple hydrogen bonds, which exhibits good adhesion strength (1.1 MPa), stable adhesion (＞10 days), recyclability, flexibility, moldability, self-healing capability, and the convenience to repair complex interfaces. Furthermore, the theoretical calculation shows that the strong interaction energy between 2-Ureido-4(1H)-pyrimidinone moieties is responsible for the formation of solvent-free adhesive. Therefore, this work presents a novel paradigm for the development of sustainable and eco-friendly materials, leveraging the strong intermolecular interactions between terminal UPy moieties.