For your information and to assist you with questions about our adhesives and its applications, review the FAQs below. If you are still not able to get the answer you are looking for contact technical support and send us your questions.

What’s adhesive? And how it is classified?

Adhesive is a substance used to bond two or more surfaces together. Most adhesives form a bond by filling in the minute pits and fissures normally present even in very smooth surfaces. Adhesives vary with the purpose for which they are intended. Such purposes now include the increasing use of adhesives in surgery.

Natural adhesives have been replaced in many uses by synthetics; but animal glues, starches, gums, cellulose, bitumens, and natural rubber cements continue to be used in large volumes.

Organic adhesives derived from animal protein include glues made from collagen, a constituent of the connective tissues and bones of mammals and fish; blood albumen glue, used in the plywood industry; and glue made from casein, a protein constituent of milk, employed in wood bonding and in paint.

Vegetable adhesives include starches and dextrins derived from corn, wheat, potatoes, and rice, used for bonding paper, wood, and textile.

Synthetic adhesives, used either alone or as modifiers of natural adhesives, perform better and have a greater range of application than the natural products. Most of them form polymers.

What is Viscosity? And how do you measure it?

Viscosity is the property of a fluid that tends to prevent it from flowing when subjected to an applied force. High-viscosity fluids resist flow; low-viscosity fluids flow easily. The tenacity with which a moving layer of fluid drags adjacent layers of fluid along with it determines its viscosity, which is measured in a viscometer, a container with a standard-sized orifice in the bottom. The rate at which the fluid flows through the orifice is a measure of its viscosity.

Is Cyanoacrylate Adhesive toxic?

Once dried and cured, cyanoacrylate adhesive is not toxic if eaten. The primary form of contact is not really a toxicity at all, but rather the trauma of tissues adhering after exposure to the uncured compound.

Cyanoacrylate adhesive formes an instant bond with skin. Treatment can be done by soaking the area with warm soapy water, and gently peeling or rolling the adhered surfaces away from each other. Direct pulling of adhered surfaces away from each other is not recommended, since the skin will tear. If needed use acetone (fingernail polish remover) to affected areas. If cyanoacrylate adhesive is in your eye, ask for medical attention immediately.

What is a one-component formulation?
One-component adhesives are applied without using crosslinkers or hardeners. The adhesive film cures physically (e.g. by crystallization) or chemically (reaction with atmospheric moisture) in a process that may take minutes or hours.

What is the "working time" of the adhesive?
"Working time" or "open time" is the amount of time that you have between applying the adhesive and joining the substrate. Our different adhesive products have different working time. Refer to individual labels for more information.

What is the shelf life of these products?
We have a guaranteed 1-year shelf life from the date of manufacture on unopened containers. Most products however, will last longer if stored in cool dry conditions. Opened containers will not last as long. It is recommended to seal opened containers with plastic wrap and tape to extend their shelf life. The shelf life of opened containers cannot be guaranteed.

How do I remove dried adhesive or sealant?
It is best to clean up excessive adhesive or sealant while it is in the uncured state, however, thin films of cured adhesive can be removed using solvent or mineral spirits. Heavier films must be physically removed with a putty knife.

To remove cyanoacrylate adhesive, the best choice would be use our Super Glue Remover product. We can also use tap water, warm soap water, DMF, nitromethane or acetone if our Remover is not available.

White Glue & Glue stick - soap and water are usually all you need to clean up these products. If it's on clothing, just launder as recommended by the manufacturer.

Why doesn't glue stick to inside of the bottle?
As long as the glue remains inside the bottle away from air it will remain fluid. Glue hardens when there is a loss of water from the formula. Exposure to the atmosphere will cause the water to evaporate and make the glue harden. That's why it is important to keep the cap on the glue bottle closed to prevent hardening or drying out.

I found epoxy hardened in its can, before I could mix it with the hardener. What can I do with it?

If not caused by contamination, this is a rare crystallization occurrence brought about by alternate exposure to warm and cold storage, or even during shipment. Remedy: immerse the can (with the lid loosely on top) half-way in a container with hot water (130-200oF, or 55-90oC), and leave it so immersed (re-heating the water, if necessary) until the whole epoxy mass is warm and uniformly smooth (or limpid, if transparent). This means the crystals have melted. Remix, wait until room temperature is reached, and use the material as if nothing had happened. If the hardening happens after long storage and the heating does not succeed, it means that the resin has aged too long.

I measured epoxy resin and hardener correctly and mixed them thoroughly. Yet the surface cures tacky.