In the preparation of an improved adhesive composition, an epoxy-based prepolymer
is obtained by the reaction of one or more epoxy resins with amino-terminated polyethers
and/or carboxyl-terminated butadiene-nitrile rubbers. In one embodiment of the
invention, both a solid epoxy resin and a liquid epoxy resin, each of which is
a diglycidyl ether of a polyphenol such as bisphenol A, are used. The epoxy-based
prepolymer is mixed with an acrylate-terminated urethane resin (preferably, one
based on a polyol having a number average molecular weight of at least about 400)
and a heat-activated latent curing agent to make an adhesive composition which
can be pumpable at room temperature. Curable adhesives capable of expansion to
about 100% with high impact resistance after curing may be obtained by inclusion
of expanding agents such as expandable microspheres.