Interplay between viscoelastic and chemical tunings in fatty-acid-based polyester adhesives: engineering biomass toward functionalized step-growth polymers and soft networks.

This Article describes the synthesis and characterization of renewable self-adhesive coatings with tunable viscoelastic properties and equipped with well-defined amounts of carboxylic acid "sticker" groups with adhesion promoting characteristics. Hydroxyl-ended polyesters with various architectures (linear, branched) were synthesized by melt polycondensation of dimerized fatty acids and fatty diols and then cured with maleic anhydride-modified triglycerides (such as maleinized soybean oil) in the presence of the amidine catalyst 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene. The curing reaction of alcoholysis has the dual effect of chain extending/cross-linking the base polymers via creation of polymeric half-esters linkages while introducing carboxylic acid functions within the gel structure. We demonstrated how the adhesion properties can be finely tuned from molecular design and formulation of the network precursors and how the rheology and functionality of the coatings influence the adhesive bond formation and development. These renewable polyester adhesives proved to be suitable materials for pressure-sensitive adhesives applications with respect to adhesion strength, viscoelasticity, and functionality. In addition, the environmental benefits of such materials are briefly discussed.