How CA glue actually works
When chemistry meets woodworking, brought to you by these two cats.
Nov 17, 2022
I’m not going to lie. I didn’t understand all of this video, but I understood enough to know that some people are going to think this is really interesting! I use cyanoacrylate glue every day in my shop, but until now, I never really thought about the chemical reactions happening while the glue sets naturally, or when I spray it with an accelerator.
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Ha. I saw this title and was going to share the link to this video that I happened to watch just before seeing your reference. He also has one on epoxy that will make your head spin until about 14 min in when he talks about the importance of getting the mix ratios right. I posed a few questions to him but want to follow up with one on colorants. Vince Esposito.
I worked in the pigment, dye, ink, coatings, paint, woodstain and plastics industries. Figuring out which colorants were best for a specific application was what I did. If you google "pigments through the ages" you will also discover chemical complexity that will make your head spin, but if you have a specific application and you want to know what to use and how much to put in and how to do it, I might be able to help you out. For example, most of the "pigments" sold for coloring epoxy are both organic and inorganic basic standard pigments such as TiO2, phthalos, mixed metal pigments, etc. and it appears that pearls (mica treated with TiO2) are popular for pours. You can also dye epoxy if you stick with anthraquinones that dissolve and are transparent. Epoxy typically has poor UV resistance, but BASF has a UV absorber called carboprotect that I have put into epoxy and other coatings I have had outdoors now for 5 years and it still hasn't failed: https://www.basf.com/us/en/products/General-Business-Topics/dispersions/Products/tinuvin_carboprotect.html
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Well done! This from the oldest student in 3 consecutive courses in organic chemistry, needed to complete my chemistry degree, pursuant to obtaining my teaching certificate at age 50. Taking these courses at age 50 was like cheating. No fraternity parties for me! So very nice to hear such a clear and well presented explanation of a fairly complex mechanism. Thank you!
@BenStrano - but, does this work as well as a "standard" polymer glue such as Titebond (I is an alephatic resin, II is a cross-linking PVA, and III is a proprietary polymer). I have read that CA glues are great for box joints where you simply apply the glue after the box is assembled - the glue is drawn through capilary action into the joint.
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