All Biobased Polyphenol-Derived Adhesives

NON_TECHNICAL: This project is supported by the Polymers Program of the Division of Materials Research. Adhesives are used in everything from buildings to cars, but many current products can have negative impacts on human health and the environment. This project uses plant-based compounds, such as polyphenols and vegetable oils, to create new types of adhesives that are both high-performing and biodegradable. The research will explore how the structure of these natural materials affects how well the adhesives bond and hold, with the goal of designing strong and sustainable alternatives to conventionally used materials. The work supports the national interest by creating and evaluating new adhesive materials and advancing manufacturing practices and promoting scientific progress in the important area of advanced polymeric materials. The project will enhance science education to everyone by incorporating research into university courses, developing new academic programs in polymer science, and engaging students from high school through graduate school in hands-on research. Public outreach activities, such as science workshops and demonstrations, will raise awareness of new earth-friendly materials and inspire future innovators. TECHNICAL: This research aims to develop fully biobased, high-performance adhesives by integrating polyphenol-derived epoxy resins with renewable phenolic compounds, epoxidized vegetable oils, and polycarboxylic acids. The study will systematically investigate structure-property relationships that govern both interfacial adhesion and cohesive strength. Polyphenols will serve as multifunctional reactive moieties to enhance adhesive performance, while natural carboxylic acids will be evaluated as non-toxic curing agents to avoid the use of synthetic hardeners. The project will employ advanced spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical characterization techniques to elucidate molecular-level mechanisms of bonding and network formation. In addition, degradation pathways under catalytic hydrolysis and possible microbial conditions will be studied to assess environmental compatibility. By integrating polymer chemistry and materials science, the project will establish a fundamental framework for designing next-generation adhesives that are renewable, biodegradable, and suitable for a variety of industrial applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.