Fast underwater bonding to polycarbonate using photoinitiated cyanoacrylate

Abstract

Rapid underwater bonding of clear polycarbonate to metal or plastic substrates at temperatures approaching 0 ºC was studied. Bonding was achieved within minutes using ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate gel cured using the photoinitiator (dibenzoylferrocene) with a blue-LED light source. The optimum initiator concentration varied from 0.3% to 0.1 wt % for adhesive films 0.5 to 1.2 mm thick respectively. The polymerisation rate shows a negative temperature dependence making it highly suitable for cold environments. The ultimate shear strength of the bonds was temperature independent and ranged from 1 MPa for metallic to 5 MPa for plastic substrates respectively.

Hydrogels for underwater adhesion: adhesion mechanism, design strategies and applications

“…Widely used cyanoacrylate adhesives exhibit strong adhesion in air, but when used in an aqueous environment, they harden rapidly, forming a hard plastic layer that eventually leads to loss of adhesion. 120,121 Although commercially available epoxy resins 122 and polyurethanes 123 exhibit strong underwater adhesion, they usually require a long curing time. A growing number of studies on marine organisms capable of secreting adhesion substances such as mussels, sandbag worms, barnacles, etc.…”

VATA: A Poly(vinyl alcohol)- and Tannic Acid-Based Nontoxic Underwater Adhesive

“…The development of underwater adhesives for both industrial and biomedical applications has been an emerging field of study. , Epoxy- or cyanoacrylate-based adhesives have been extensively used under wet conditions , but show several drawbacks. First, for epoxy-based glues, their adhesive forces are decreased upon exposure to wet environments .…”

Ionically Cross-Linked Poly(allylamine) as a Stimulus-Responsive Underwater Adhesive: Ionic Strength and pH Effects

“…Underwater adhesives attract widespread scientific interest due to their numerous potential medical, household, and industrial applications. − Much of the recent research in this area has focused on natural and biomimetic adhesives, composed of natural or recombinant adhesive proteins, or synthetic biomimetic polymers designed to mimic the structure and function of natural underwater adhesives. ,− The application of these adhesion strategies, however, remains somewhat limited due to the high cost of natural proteins, inefficiency of recombinant protein production, ,− and (in the case of synthetic biomimetic adhesives) the need for highly specialized polymers. ,− …”