What is Cyanoacrylate Glue?
Choosing the right adhesive for an application can be the difference between success and failure. When it comes to tiny components, small repairs, or applications calling for a strong bond that cures almost instantly, cyanoacrylate adhesives are hard to beat.
But what exactly are these powerful, convenient adhesives? Here we’ll look at how they work, their advantages, and a few of their many applications.
What Is Cyanoacrylate Glue?
Cyanoacrylate glue is a general term for a group of fast-curing, strong adhesives. Commonly called “super glue”, “crazy glue”, or CA glue, it is widely used in industrial and consumer applications to bond similar or dissimilar materials including plastics, ceramics, metals, and even skin.
How Do Cyanoacrylate Adhesives Work?
Cyanoacrylate adhesive is a liquid acryl monomer that cures or hardens in the presence of moisture. As it dries, the adhesive polymerizes, creating strong polymer chains that bond materials tightly.
The curing process is fast and because it is activated by moisture in the air or on the surface of the materials, it is simple to use in many settings. There is no need to mix multiple compounds, apply UV radiation or heat, or even clamp or secure parts during cure time. In many applications, nothing more than residual moisture is required to activate the adhesive; although, some dry or porous materials may need a small spray of water or activator liquid to start the process.
Benefits of Cyanoacrylate Glue
These key benefits make super glue a superior choice for many applications:
- Fast cure times: Glues with long cure times delay production and contribute to bottlenecks. Complex assemblies that need precise positioning require clamping or other methods to secure components until the adhesive is fully cured; however, cyanoacrylate glue activates and cures very quickly, so assemblies can be handled in seconds and production can continue.
- Low-toxicity: Many industrial adhesives are toxic and release volatile organic compounds that are harmful to workers during production, and to consumers during post-production off-gassing. In comparison, cyanoacrylate glues have far lower levels of toxicity.
- Simplicity: In most circumstances, super glue activates automatically due to exposure to moisture in the air or on materials. This makes it easy to use with no mixing or specialty tools.
- Strength: Cyanoacrylate glue forms extremely strong bonds between similar and dissimilar surfaces. It is also long-lasting and will not weaken if exposed to moisture. However, it’s important to note that cured CA glue has low ductility and may be vulnerable to impact loads.
- Versatility: Unlike most high-performance adhesives, cyanoacrylate glues are effective with almost any type of material including metal, ceramics, plastic, wood, and textiles.
Applications: What is CA Glue Used For?
Hobbyists, designers, and manufacturers of all sizes use cyanoacrylate glue to build complex assemblies and bind disparate components together. While it has uses in almost any setting, three common applications are aerospace, DIY, and medical use cases.
Aerospace Applications
CA adhesives are often specified for aircraft interior components because it is strong and lightweight. They can also be used to repair minor damage to aircraft parts after the manufacturing process.
DIY Applications
Because it is simple to use and dries fast, super glue is a popular choice for crafting and repairs at home. It is especially convenient for bonding small pieces where only a tiny amount of adhesive is needed.
Medical Applications
Cyanoacrylate glue can be used in medical device and equipment assemblies where precision application is needed. Certain formulations can also be used to close wounds or small cuts on humans and animals.
Choose Cyanoacrylate Glue Produces From Aron Alpha
At Aron Alpha, we manufacture and supply industrial cyanoacrylate adhesives, accelerators, and primers for customers in many industries including automotive, construction, maintenance, electronics, industrial assembly, medical, plastics assembly, and more. We also offer custom formulations, lab services and testing, industrial adhesive consultation, and prototype testing.
Our goal is always to help you reach yours. Please contact us to speak with an expert, or request more information today.
