Adhesives used in thermal inkjet printheads are frequently exposed to ink. Product life depends on the robustness of these adhesives. One area of application is the die attach adhesive that bonds the silicon heater chip to the printhead body. This adhesive is constantly in the presence of ink. The selection of the die attach adhesive is based not only on the performance of the adhesive in ink but also on the printhead manufacturing processes. This paper focuses on optimizing the selection of a die attach adhesive used in a water-based ink environment based on cure characteristics. Results are reported for an epoxy system, specifically, an anhydride cured diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A. Crosslink density, modulus, density and glass transition temperature are reported with respect to extent of cure. Extent of cure is then related to the ink absorption characteristics of the adhesive and its adhesion to the printhead body and to the heater chip.