Anti-Creep Adhesive Tapes via Trapped-Entanglement-Regulated Topological Networks.

Abstract

Adhesive tapes with high adhesion strength are critical in applications from structural bonding, biomedical devices, to flexible electronics. However, their performance is fundamentally limited by creep-time-dependent deformation under sustained stress-which leads to irreversible failure in long-term applications. While transient non-covalent interactions are widely engineered to enhance short-term energy dissipation, they inherently compromise creep resistance due to their dynamic reversibility. Herein, this persistent challenge is addressed by designing anti-creep adhesive tapes through precise topological regulation of polymer networks. By systematically comparing linear, covalent-crosslink, and trapped-entanglement-dominated architectures, the entanglement-stabilized networks are demonstrated to achieve a three-orders-of-magnitude reduction in creep rate while maintaining strong interfacial adhesion. The unique combination of long-chain entanglements and spare crosslinks enables efficient elastic energy storage without sacrificing tackiness, resolving the trade-off between dynamic dissipation and permanent mechanical integrity. This work provides both a mechanistic framework for understanding creep in adhesive materials and a scalable strategy for developing durable, high-performance polymer adhesives.