Why Does Superglue Stick to Almost Every Surface

5 j Why Does Superglue Stick to Almost Every Surface  

One commercial adhesive is marketed with the following claims High Strength Adhesive Durable Bonding Fast Acting Bonds Metals, Rubber, Ceramics, Plastics, Glass, Wood, Veneers, Fabrics, Vinyl, Cardboard, Cork, Leather, Nylon, and Other Similar Surfaces. ] How can one substance act as a general purpose adhesive with affinity for so many types of surfaces  

One class of adhesives known as superglues consists of synthetic organic polymers that provide strong and rapid adhesion. These adhesives are unusual in that the polymerization process to form the adhesive occurs upon exposure of the monomer to water. Under most conditions, atmospheric moisture is sufficient to form a strong adhesive. Superglues stick to a variety of surfaces since a film of moisture exists on almost any surface. The quality of bonding will vary with the humidity the higher the humidity, the better the set. 

The adhesive marketed under the tradename Superglue contains the monomer methyl a-cyanoacrylate (Fig. 14.5.1). A variety of cyanoacrylates are commercially sold as contact adhesives with the alkyl group -R denoted in Fig. 14.5.2 varying from a methyl group to produce ethyl, isopropyl, allyl, butyl, isobutyl, 

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