Instant adhesives or also popularly called cyanoacrylate are a kind of thermoplastic adhesives that are known for providing a quick and reliable bond. They are available in various ranges of viscosities as one-part, room temperature curing adhesives. They are formulated for high-performance, structural bonding of different materials including rubber, ceramic, leather, metals and a wide variety of plastics, in just seconds. In addition, they are easy to use either in the repair shop or in automated production or assembly lines. The best results of cyanoacrylate can be obtained with joint gaps of less than 0.1mm - 0.2mm for special grades.
Though traditional instant adhesives may poorly react to acidic substrates that can slow or inhibit their cure, surface insensitive cyanoacrylates were made to still become applicable both for active and inactive surfaces. They can also react much quicker than traditional adhesives in dry climates, providing a more reliable bond. Another important factor to know about these adhesives is the phenomenon called blooming. It happens when instant adhesives react with moisture and then fall back down on the substrate to be bonded. Once this occurs, a white powdery residue that is left behind becomes visible on the surface. This specific phenomenon makes them very useful for detectives in looking for fingerprints at crime scenes.
Lastly, another feature you should know is the fact that in order to achieve the longest shelf life of instant adhesives, you better store the unused bottles of cyanoacrylate inside the fridge. However, once you have opened them, keep them at room temperature only to avoid contaminating them. Obviously, instant adhesives are a perfect choice for quick repairs and short-time curing projects. They are a must-have both in your home and business since they can take on most adhesion tasks. However, they have low elasticity and are not applicable to bond large surfaces. But still, they have high bonding strength and are very convenient to use making them a sought-after item for many applications.
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