CHAPTER 12: Bio-based Switchable Adhesives for Carpet Tiles

Adhesives are used in a variety of applications and have helped the development and growth of many industries. In the carpet tile industry, they are used to bind the fabric layer to the bitumen-backing layer. However, often, removal of such adhesives or separation of the layers can prove to be challenging and costly, with the simplest option being disposal. Therefore, redesign of the adhesive system used could prevent 1000s of tonnes of waste and valuable resources ending in landfill or incineration. There has been increased interest in ‘Smart’ or ‘switchable’ adhesives that can change bonding properties under certain stimuli, such as temperature, pH, pressure etc. This has been put into good effect in the carpet tile industry with the development of a modified starch adhesive that can switch bonding properties with steam.