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.