Electrically Releasable Adhesive Tape for Residue-Free Debonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing adhesive technologies for electronic devices require complex and time-consuming methods to reduce adhesive strength, often leaving residue and necessitating extensive rework, and lack compatibility with metallic substrates while ensuring high initial bond strength and environmental sustainability.

Innovation Solution

An adhesive compound comprising poly(meth)acrylate A with over 15 wt% nitrogen-containing monomers and an electrolyte, preferably ionic liquids, allows for voltage-induced adhesive removal, maintaining high initial strength and stability, even at thick layers, and is resistant to additives.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If heat-mediated separation processes are used to reduce adhesive strength, then the adhesive bond can be separated, but extensive rework is required to prepare the substrate surface contaminated with adhesive residue

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive removalVSAvoidsubstrate preparation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces heat-mediated separation with an electrical field-based separation mechanism. By incorporating ionic liquids into the adhesive composition, the adhesive can be removed by applying an electrical voltage that triggers ion migration and adhesive bond failure, eliminating the need for thermal processing and subsequent mechanical cleaning of residue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter for adhesive removal from thermal energy to electrical energy. The ionic liquid-containing adhesive responds to electrical voltage by undergoing ion migration that weakens and breaks the adhesive bond, providing a cleaner and more efficient removal process compared to thermal methods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If adhesive-dissolving technologies using penetrating solvents are used to achieve high bond strength, then reliable bonding is achieved, but the process takes a very long time to apply

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebond strengthVSAvoidapplication time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces slow chemical dissolution processes with rapid electrical field-induced separation. The ionic liquid formulation allows the adhesive to achieve high initial bond strength through conventional curing, then enables rapid removal by electrical voltage that triggers immediate ion migration and bond failure, reducing the overall process time significantly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive is formulated with ionic liquids incorporated during manufacturing, preparing the adhesive structure in advance for electrical removal. This preliminary incorporation of ionic liquids ensures that when voltage is applied, the ion migration mechanism is already in place, enabling rapid bond failure without requiring lengthy solvent application and penetration times

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Length of stationary object

If the adhesive layer thickness is increased to 150 μm, then the adhesive can be applied in thick layers, but electrical removability becomes more difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive layer thicknessVSAvoidelectrical removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the electrical field application parameters to match the increased adhesive thickness. The ionic liquid formulation, combined with adjusted voltage magnitude and application duration, ensures that the electrical field can penetrate through 150 μm thick adhesive layers and still trigger effective ion migration and bond failure, maintaining electrical removability despite increased thickness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If nitrogen-containing monomers are used to enable electrical removal, then adhesive strength can be reduced by voltage, but storage stability under warm humid conditions becomes challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical removalVSAvoidstorage stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite adhesive system combining nitrogen-containing polymers with ionic liquids. This composite formulation leverages the polar nitrogen-containing polymer matrix to provide structural integrity and storage stability, while the incorporated ionic liquids enable the electrical removal function. The synergistic combination resolves the contradiction between electrical removability and storage stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The ionic liquids act as intermediary substances that bridge the contradiction between electrical removability and storage stability. They are incorporated into the nitrogen-containing polymer matrix, providing the electrical response mechanism while the polymer matrix provides the structural stability needed for reliable storage under warm humid conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The adhesive compound achieves rapid, residue-free removal with voltage application, maintains high bond strength, and exhibits improved storage stability and reduced corrosion on metallic substrates.

Implementation Method 1

the adhesive strength of an adhesive mass by applying a voltage, wherein the adhesive mass contains polymeric microballoons based on polar monomers as well as a polymer matrix based on macromers and optionally polar monomers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon migration: Electrophoresis

Implementation Method 2

EP 3031875 B1 discloses the reduction of the adhesive strength of an acrylate adhesive by applying a voltage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical separation: Electrophoresis

Data Source

PatentEP4685204A1Adhesive material, adhesive tape, bonded composite, and method for electrically releasing a bonded composite
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 TESA SE
  • EP4685204A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4685204A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4685204A1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The invention relates to an adhesive compound, an adhesive tape, a bonded assembly, a method for electrically releasing the bonded assembly, and the use of the adhesive compound for bonding components in electronic devices, automobiles, medical devices, and dental devices. The adhesive compound contains a) at least one poly(meth)acrylate A, wherein the poly(meth)acrylate A is produced by polymerization of a monomer composition containing more than 15 wt.-% of one or more nitrogen-containing monomers, wherein the monomer composition optionally includes one or more alkylene oxide-containing poly(meth)acrylate monomers, provided that in this case none of the alkylene oxide-containing poly(meth)acrylate monomers has a molecular weight of more than 305 g/mol; and b) at least one electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of ionic liquids and metal salts, with ionic liquids being particularly preferred.