Product Types:
Superglue
Often referred to as cyanoacrylate, instant glue, CA glue, or crazy glue, superglue is a powerful, versatile, and generally fast bonding adhesive.
Product Types:
Superglue
Often referred to as cyanoacrylate, instant glue, CA glue, or crazy glue, superglue is a powerful, versatile, and generally fast bonding adhesive.
It contains an acrylic resin that becomes plastic when it cures, forming a rigid bond that is ideal for holding small components firmly in place. However, due to the wide range of substrates this glue can bond, and the ease of application, there are many more practical ways to use this versatile adhesive.
Top Benefits
Performance
Variety of substrates
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Fast bonding
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High bond strength
Multifunctional
Bonding
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Sealing
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Gap Filling
Ease of Use
Cure at room temperatures
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No mixing required
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No speciality curing equipment
Substrates
Metal ■ Plastic ■ Rubber ■ Composites ■ Silicone ■ Ceramics ■ Wood ■ and even Skin
As a low toxicity, one part adhesive that cures easily at room temperature with and with typical cure times of around 10-20 seconds, cyanoacrylate adhesives are incredibly easy to use across a wide range of substrates, which makes them very accessible and suitable for many different industry applications.
This glue will only bond when there is moisture present, so is suitable for most bonding applications that occur in common environmental conditions, although some substrates that repel moisture can be problematic, and special activators have been developed for this situation. However, exposure to moisture in the air will shorten the shelf life of this product, so careful storage is preferable to optimise shelf life.
Cyanoacrylates form a high strength rigid bond, so it is a great choice for bonding rigid materials, stabilising and reinforcing. However, it is less suited to wood or joints as they are brittle, and not good for critical joints with significant shear stress.
Cyanoacrylates are low toxicity, have little odour, gap filling properties, and good temperature resistance. Due to the range of formulations available, there is some variation in curing time and flexibility.
Subcategories & Related Benefits
The range of formulations of cyanoacrylates is very broad, resulting in a broad range of capabilities:
- Non blooming – prevents residue for a more aesthetic result
- Toughened – improved impact resistance and shock resistance
- Low and medium viscosity – for wood and rubber
- High viscosity – for vertical applications and porous surfaces
Accelerators are also available, which can be applied either before or after applying the glue. These are useful in a cold or dry environment to improve gap filling or cure speed.
Most Common Industries & Applications
Cyanoacrylates are used across a wide range of industries:
The use of activators also increases the uses of cyanoacrylates – some of these cure the adhesive immediately upon application, allowing them to be used in situations where the adhesive is exposed rather than being compressed between two surfaces, eg wire tacking and tamper proofing.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
Try using a disposable precision needle. This will help limit the amount of adhesive applied and also helps to access hard to reach areas.
Cyanoacrylates do have a short shelf life. We recommend buying CA glue as it is required, rather than stockpiling. If you must keep CA adhesive for some time, it’s best stored in the fridge before opening, and once removed, it should be stored at room temperature. Keep the nozzle clean and tightly sealed, put it in an airtight container, ideally with silica gel to reduce moisture levels.
Due to the rapid bonding time of this glue, spills may be difficult to clean up. You may be able to remove the glue by inserting a pencil or similar under the edge of the glue and rolling the pencil around the edge to lift up the dried glue. Alternatively, acetone may be helpful in dissolving the glue.
Always ensure that you are using the correct instructions for your specific formulation of adhesive. If you are still having trouble, consider the following:
- Cyanoacrylates require moisture to bond – materials that repel moisture (like heat resistant plastics) may not be suited to CA glue
- Bonding time is fast, so cyanoacrylates are not suitable for large surface areas
- Porous materials may require presealing with an additional layer of glue to prevent too much glue being absorbed into the substrate and preventing bonding
- Acidic materials like oak may require the use of an activator to assist bonding