Environmentally friendly repeatable adhesion using a sulfobetaine-type polyzwitterion brush

A repeatable adhesion system is demonstrated using a zwitterionic poly[3-(N-2-methacryloyloxyethyl-N,N-dimethyl)ammonato propane sulfonate] (poly(MAPS)) brush. Two silicon wafers bearing poly(MAPS) brushes were joined in hot water at 333 K under 0.098 MPa of pressure for 1 min and dried under an air atmosphere for 3 h. A lap shear strength of 2.0 MPa was observed through the adhesion of the brush substrates due to attractive dipole-dipole interactions between the sulfobetaine units. Smooth debonding of the adhering substrates in hot water at 333 K was completed within 1 h due to swelling of the poly(MAPS) brushes above the upper critical solution temperature. Repeatable adhesion and debonding was successfully achieved by the poly(MAPS) brush on the substrate.