Fluorinated Poly(ionic liquid) Copolymers as Transparent, Strong, and Versatile Adhesive Materials

Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), combining the advantages of both polymers and ionic liquids, have attracted significant attention from the academia and industry. This study has developed a fluorinated PIL copolymer-based adhesive with versatile adhesion ability and high transparency. The adhesive was prepared by in situ UV-curing a precursor solution composed of commercially available monomers, that is, 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl methacrylate and 1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide. The prepared adhesive showed a superior adhesion strength of 6.61 MPa toward glass substrates. Furthermore, minimal addition of a plasticizer in the bulk adhesive could significantly enhance the adhesion performance on fluorinated polymer substrates while maintaining the polar surface bonding strength and high transparency. The resulting PIL-based adhesive showed a strong adhesion on various adherends, such as glass, steel, ceramics, and low surface energy polymers. This work provides a methodology for using PILs as adhesives and is believed to have good potential for commercialization.