Adhesion-Regulating Agents and Methods For Tuning Adhesion Strength of Acrylic Adhesives By Substrate Modification

Abstract

Adhesion-regulating agents for enhancing the adhesion values of acrylic adhesives, and methods of using adhesion-regulating agents for treating substrates for enhancing adhesion of the substrate to objects comprising an acrylic adhesive are disclosed.

1 . A method of installing a removable material layer onto a substrate surface, the method comprising:
 applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, said adhesion-regulating agent consisting essentially of:
 at least one of a polar aprotic solvent or at least one of a polar protic solvent; and 
 at least one titanate; and 
   placing a material layer onto the adhesion-regulated substrate surface, said material layer comprising an adhesive layer, said adhesive layer oriented proximate to the adhesion-regulated substrate surface;   maintaining a degree of adhesion between the material layer and adhesion-regulated substrate surface, with the degree of adhesion ranging from between about 1.0 pound per inch of width to about 4 pounds per inch of width.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 increasing an adhesion value of the material layer to the substrate surface by an amount of at least from about 10% to about 25%.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to the substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the adhesion-regulating agent further comprising:
 at least one polar-aprotic solvent, at least one polar-protic solvent, or a mixture of a polar-aprotic solvent and a polar-protic solvent.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the at least one polar aprotic solvent comprising a ketone-containing solvent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the at least one polar-protic solvent comprising a mixture of an alcohol and naphtha. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the adhesion-regulating agent comprising the at least one polar-aprotic solvent in an amount of from about 95% to about 99% by volume. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion regulated substrate surface, the adhesion-regulating agent comprising the at least one titanate in an amount ranging from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by volume. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the at least one titanate selected from the group consisting of:
 at least one of titanium (IV) (triethanolaminato)isopropoxide; titanium bis(triethanolamine)diisopropoxide; titanium (IV) butoxide polymer; titanium (IV) butoxide; titanium (IV) oxyacetylacetonate; titanium (IV) bis(ammonium lactate)dihydroxide; oxobis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedianato) titanium (IV); titanium (IV diisopropoxidebis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate); titanium (IV) diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate); titanium (IV) tert-butoxide; titanium tetraisopropoxide; or titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to form an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the substrate surface comprising: at least one of a metal, a metal alloy, a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic coated with polyurethane tape, or a coated metal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, in the step of applying an adhesion-regulating agent to a substrate surface to obtain an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, the ketone-containing solvent consisting of at least one of methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-propyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or acetone. 
     
     
         11 . An adhesion-regulating agent comprising:
 a polar-aprotic solvent or a polar-protic solvent, in an amount ranging from about 95% to about 99% by volume; and   at least one titanate in an amount ranging from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by volume;   wherein the adhesion-regulating agent maintains a degree of adhesion between a material layer of a removable component and an adhesion-regulated substrate surface, with the degree of adhesion ranging from between about 1.0 pound per inch of width to about 4 pounds per inch of width.   
     
     
         12 . The adhesion-regulating agent of  claim 11 , wherein the polar-aprotic solvent comprises a ketone-containing solvent. 
     
     
         13 . The adhesion-regulating agent of  claim 11 , the at least one titanate selected from the group consisting of at least one of:
 titanium (IV) (triethanolaminato)isopropoxide; titanium bis(triethanolamine)diisopropoxide; titanium (IV) butoxide polymer; titanium (IV) butoxide; titanium (IV) oxyacetylacetonate; titanium (IV) bis(ammonium lactate)dihydroxide; oxobis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedianato) titanium (IV); titanium (IV diisopropoxidebis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate); titanium (IV) diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate); titanium (IV) tert-butoxide; titanium tetraisopropoxide; or titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide.   
     
     
         14 . The adhesion-regulating agent of  claim 11  wherein the polar-protic solvent comprises an alcohol. 
     
     
         15 . The adhesion-regulating agent of  claim 11 , wherein the polar-protic solvent comprises an alcohol mixed with naphtha. 
     
     
         16 . The adhesion-regulating agent of  claim 12 , the ketone-containing solvent consisting of at least one of: methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-propyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or acetone. 
     
     
         17 . A flooring assembly comprising:
 a floor substrate having a floor substrate surface, said floor substrate surface treated with an adhesion-regulating agent to form an adhesion-regulated floor substrate surface, said adhesion-regulating agent consisting essentially of:
 a polar-aprotic solvent or a polar-protic solvent in an amount ranging from about 95% to about 99% by volume; and 
 at least one titanate in an amount ranging from about 0.15% to about 0.5% by volume; 
   a removable flooring material said flooring material comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, said pressure sensitive adhesive layer configured to be oriented proximate to the adhesion-regulated floor substrate surface;   wherein the removable flooring material maintains a degree of adhesion to the adhesion-regulated floor substrate surface, with the degree of adhesion ranging from between about 1.0 pound per inch of width to about 4 pounds per inch of width.   
     
     
         18 . The flooring assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the floor substrate surface comprises at least one of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic; a coated carbon fiber-reinforced plastic; titanium; a titanium alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The flooring assembly of  claim 17 , the at least one titanate selected from the group consisting of at least one of:
 titanium (IV) (triethanolaminato)isopropoxide; titanium bis(triethanolamine)diisopropoxide; titanium (IV) butoxide polymer; titanium (IV) butoxide; titanium (IV) oxyacetylacetonate; titanium (IV) bis(ammonium lactate)dihydroxide; oxobis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedianato) titanium (IV); titanium (IV diisopropoxidebis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate); titanium (IV) diisopropoxide bis(acetylacetonate); titanium (IV) tert-butoxide; titanium tetraisopropoxide; or titanium (IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide.   
     
     
         20 . A vehicle comprising the flooring assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of:
 a manned aircraft, an unmanned aircraft, a manned spacecraft, an unmanned spacecraft, a manned rotorcraft, an unmanned rotorcraft, a satellite, a manned terrestrial vehicle, an unmanned terrestrial vehicle, a manned surface water borne vehicle, an unmanned surface water borne vehicle, a manned sub-surface water borne vehicle, an unmanned sub-surface water borne vehicle, and combinations thereof.