(650f) Tough Adhesive for High Temperature Applications

Adhesives play a vital role in everyday applications, enabling both temporary and permanent bonding of materials. However, designing polymer-based adhesives capable of withstanding high-temperature environments—such as those found in HVAC systems—remains a significant challenge due to issues like thermal degradation, shrinkage, and expansion. In this work, we developed a low-viscosity, high-temperature-stable adhesive specifically for heat exchanger applications. The formulation utilizes cost-effective, commercially available resins and curing agents, combined with a tailored amount of fillers. Our adhesive demonstrates strong adhesion of ~14 MPa on aluminum substrates at 90–120 °C, surpassing the performance of many commercial counterparts. By incorporating tunable fillers, including glass beads, we achieved an improved coefficient of thermal expansion, enhancing dimensional stability. Post-lap shear testing revealed adhesive failure modes, indicating high cohesive strength. This tailored adhesive design presents a promising pathway toward next-generation, high-performance, and potentially adhesives for demanding thermal environments.