T Going

The History of Super Glue



Posted: Monday, June 13, 2005

by T Going

I’m sure many of you have already wondered where super glue came from. In the past there have been urban legends that described super glue as an ‘accidental solution’ to battle wounds during World War II, but the actual evolution is slightly different.

In 1942 the original cyanoacrylates (chemical name) were discovered while searching for materials that could make clear plastic gun sights for the war. While searching for these materials, scientists came upon a formulation that stuck to everything it came into contact with. These cyanoacrylates were rapidly rejected by American researchers for the sole reason that they stuck to everything they came in contact with. It wasn’t until 9 years later that these cyanoacrylates were rediscovered by researchers from Eastman Kodak. Fred Joyner and Harry Coover recognized the true potential for these cyanoacrylates and it was first sold as a commercial product in 1958. Since then Super Glue has evolved into several other great products, and continues to grow even to this day.

Later in the evolution of Super Glue life, a logo of a hanging car was created. This came about when a radio station hears about super glues and decided to put them to the test at a local junk yard. Most of the major brands on the market participated in the competition to hold a hanging car from a crane. Super Glue Corporation’s product turned out to be the best and later the logo was created.

This article may be freely reprinted as long as this resource box is included and all links stay in-tact as hyper-links. Please visit http://www.supergluecorp.com for more information on super glue adhesive products.

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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)
» left by igorman
from Derby 6 years 297 days ago.
I swear we used it in the war, check your facts again!
» left by Gary Paterson from Sydney 6 years 213 days ago.
Super glue was used during the war as adhesive stitches. I once saw a guy stick an Oorange to a Kooala using superglue......
» left by tom from uk 6 years 73 days ago.
I know for a fact that super glue the formulation has been used in numerous combat situations to literally hold people together whilst they are transported to safe ground. Also it doesn't stick to everything as moisture [ie, skin] not air dries it.
» left by bella
from bathurst 5 years 113 days ago.
do you have anything else you can tel me about super glue because i need it for an assignment,any information wuld b appreciated..thanx!
» left by David
from Seattle 4 years 251 days ago.
Hey nice stuff i got a A on my exam
» left by Wanda
from Ark 4 years 220 days ago.
I was told recently that it was developed in the space program by engineers. My husband was in the space program but is deceased and I can't varify that. A local professor is telling his students he helped develope it to patch holes in the missiles. Is there something similar that was developed in the space program?
» left by Wonder Grrl
from SJW Middle 4 years 15 days ago.
not really, i have a poster to do and i need the history of regular glue by tommorow! so if you could, could you make one about regular glue? you know, the who, what, when, where, why, and how?? much oblidged!!!
» left by kurtis kinkade
from greenfield IN 3 years 109 days ago.
i ise super glue all the time infact it is holding my atvs mufler on .but i go though superglue so fast my parents wont let me get any more .so i think the makers of super glue should put it in a biger tube so it last longer.i also think that tkay need to make hot glue stick made of super glue
 
kurtis kinkade
» left by Anonymous 2 years 143 days ago.
get your info right my son has just a an F in his GCSE's because of you!
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