Adhesion Matters

Smart De-Bonding: Peel-Off Glue That Opens the Future


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What if a bond could hold strong... until you decided to let go? In this eye-opening episode of Adhesion Matters, we dive into game-changing innovation from France’s Rescoll: a smart primer that enables adhesives to be reversible on demand—unlocking powerful possibilities for recycling, repair, and product circularity.

What You’ll Discover:

  • The Double-Edged Strength of Adhesives
    Modern adhesives make our phones, vehicles, and wind turbines lightweight and durable—but at the end of life, those same bonds make disassembly nearly impossible, tethering valuable parts to waste.
  • INDAR Primer: A Primer That Wants to Let Go
    Rescoll’s INDAR primer behaves like a normal primer—except when you apply heat. At a preprogrammed temperature (e.g., 120, 150, or 180 °C), it releases gas at the bond line, causing a rapid drop in adhesive strength—turning steel-strong bonds into peelable surfaces, without damaging the parts.
  • Real Industries Seeing the Impact
    • Automotive: In collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Trucks via the EU Horizon 2020 “Decode” program, the technology helps debond cockpit components from tens of thousands of buses—boosting recyclability and maintenance efficiency.
    • Renewable Energy: Imagine debonding gigawatt-scale turbine blades for repair or recycling.
    • Beyond: Electronics, shoes, aerospace interiors, even clothing—that same reversible bonding concept is being tested everywhere.
  • Combined with Smarter Recycling
    This precision debonding can be paired with chemical recycling (such as hydrocracking) to separate complex parts cleanly—feeding higher-quality feedstock into value-generating reuse rather than energy-wasting incineration.

Why It Matters:

What if adhesives weren’t just about strength, but also thoughtful separation? Debonding on Demand shifts the design paradigm—so products can be built for performance and deconstruction. If you're passionate about extending product lifecycles, cutting down industrial waste, or crafting truly circular solutions, this episode is for you.

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Adhesion MattersBy AdhesionMatters