A comprehensive study of electrically switchable adhesives: Bonding and debonding on demand

To bond dissimilar substances together, adhesives are a common choice. Adhesives are crucial components of cutting-edge technological devices used in fields as diverse as transportation, communications, aviation, and renewable energy generation and storage. Their robustness, versatility and stability are crucial throughout the device's development and upkeep, but they can create significant challenges during disposal, particularly when recovering metals that are essential to technological advancement. Materials, methods and applications of electrically-debondable adhesives (EDA), out of a number of debonding techniques have been covered in this review. This paper discuss the key mechanisms of EDAs including faradaic reaction, phase separation, anodic and cathodic detachment, gaseous emission and mechanical stresses which have been explored in relation with environmental benefits. It also identifies potential future research directions and sheds light on the challenges involved in developing electrically debondable adhesives. Overall, this review offers helpful insights into the design, development, and potential applications of electrically debondable adhesives in fields like electronics, automotive, and biomedicine.