History of adhesives

The history of adhesives and sealants is closely related to the history of humankind. Some of what are thought of as relatively new uses of adhesives have their origins in ancient times, and although most of these materials have been subject to vast changes, others have been changed very little over time. As new materials are developed, a review of the history of uses can lead one to see where they might be applied to improve old applications, and sometimes to satisfy requirements of entirely new applications. 

ESC Report. (1991). History of adhesives, BSA Educational Services Committee, 1-4. 

Safety aspects should partner the measures practised within a quality system, and they represent a vital part of the education and training of the personnel involved. The history of adhesive bonding has shown that accident and health problems associated with the technology are rare. Nevertheless, any material which is used without suitable precautions can become an unreasonable risk to health, safety, property, and the environment. The actual hazard presented by the use of materials depends not only on its potential hazard, but also on the conditions under which it is used. Concentration and duration of exposure to hazardous materials is generally the critical element in determining risk factors. 

Throughout the history of adhesion science and technology, researchers have hypothesized that the practical adhesion and the thermodynamic adhesion should somehow be correlatable, but there is no unanimity on this issue. It is universally agreed that the practical adhesion cannot be equated with the thermodynamic adhesion at the most, one can expect a direct correlation between the two. This is so because (i) during the breaking of the joint irreversible processes such as Inelastic deformations take place with the consequent dissipation of energy and (ii) refers to a defect free interface whereas in real situations there are present a large number of flaws between the adhesive and the substrate. 

Therefore, bonding in the field of dvil engineering has a tradition over 5,000 years. As early as 3000 BC, stones were cemented by clay sod. According to today s knowledge, the history of adhesion began in the pre-Christian Rome at 50 BC at the latest with the invention of high-quality lime and cement mortar. 

We begin with a brief overview of the modern history of adhesive compounds, more or less as appears in Ref. 1. The dictionary defines an adhesive as a substance capable of holding materials together by surface attachment. This is a simple definition for a material that is the basis for a multibillion dollar industry, with more than 750 companies competing for a share of the market. ... 

Around 1700, the widespread use of glue brought about some rapid changes in the history of adhesives. The first commercial glue factory was started in Holland to manufacture animal glue from hides. 

Henkel Corporation Student Center. History of adhesives, http //www.stickwithhenkel.com/ student/history.asp, 2010. 

---