MagiGlue™ for Industrial Use

Figure 1. Many organisms in nature produce strong adhesives, such as those that hold this algae to river rocks.

Unique Materials

In addition to the sticking power of mussels and barnacles, several types of microbes produce polymeric substances which allow the organism to attach to solid materials in a favorable environment. The bioadhesives made by microorganisms result in the familiar slimy material which coats rocks in streams, on beaches, and in the ocean among other places (Fig. 1). These bioadhesives tend to have extremely high bond strengths, much greater than commercially produced biopolymers. This is because these purified biopolymers are formulated using just one or a couple of the substances found in nature, failing to take into account the complexity that gives natural adhesives their superior properties. MagiGlue™, on the other hand, was specifically designed based on the principles of how microorganisms produce naturally occurring bioadhesives, is completely natural and contains no animal byproducts.

Bonds to a wide range of substrates

MagiGlue™ was tested on a range of materials including paper, plastics, metal, glass, painted surfaces, and wood. The bonding of many substrates turned out to be so strong that they were destroyed before the bond failed. Testing on two difficult-to-adhere materials, glass and polystyrene, showed the superior performance of MagiGlue™. When compared to other commonly used general purpose adhesives and several commercially available bioadhesives, such as white glue and wheat starch, MagiGlue™ performs as well as or better than these products.

Environmental Impact

Biopolymers, because of their natural origin and composition, are completely environmentally friendly. They are easily degraded in a variety of natural and man-made settings. Further, biopolymers originate from renewable resources such as plants or the fermentation of microorganisms. While many plastics, resins, and synthetic glues are formed from fossil fuel byproducts, biopolymers are produced using microbes and plants.2 MagiGlue™ is completely biodegradable and its reversible property enables it to be completely washed away, leaving no residue. It contains no animal products and is non-toxic.

Applications

MagiGlue™ can be employed as a coating, protective film, or glue. It is suitable for both temporary bonding as well as semi-permanent and permanent bonds in dry conditions. As a glue it allows for temporary or permanent bonding of a variety of surfaces including glass, ceramic, plastics, wood, paper, and metals, or cross-bonding of many of these substances. In addition, MagiGlue™ can be blended with light absorbent chemicals, heavy metals, clay, carbon fiber, or other protectant materials to provide protection for ceramics, silicon, metals and more. It can be used commercially as a surface protectant, for jig mounting, as a non-invasive in-process adhesive or coating, for nanofabrication, for cardboard and paperboard packaging, or as a barrier film, in addition to working well as a craft glue for use at home or school to bond labels, signs, decorations, crafts and art projects.

The reversible and biodegradable properties of MagiGlue™ could be particularly useful in label adhesives or for box assembly, facilitating recycling or other disposal processes. Less effort would be needed in the disassembly of boxes or removal of labels before the product is recycled and would not require the separation of the adhesive from the solubilized cellulose fibers before re-casting into recycled paper products. This could help to reduce recycling time and costs.

MagiGlue™ could also be used in manufacturing in a variety of ways. Etching processes, which require a protective layer, would also benefit from the application of the adhesive as a temporary coating. As an added benefit, the same substance used as a coating can be applied to hold the piece being etched in place during the etching process. An industrial area where this particular etching application is optimal is in silicon chip processing and etching, and in micro circuitry. MagiGlue™ could also work as a temporary placeholder for machined parts manufacturing. The bond formed by the adhesive is ideal for use in fabrication and modification of parts during a machining process, as it holds well then is removed quickly and easily with no residue.

In the human healthcare and cosmetic industries there is a need for a nontoxic, easily reversible adhesive. The cosmetic industry is currently searching for new adhesives and bonding agents that are human- and environment- friendly. MagiGlue™ could potentially fulfill this role and offers several possibilities for compounding products such as costume cosmetics. In the medical field the versatile adhesive can also serve as a bandage adhesive and wound dressing.

For more detailed information and references, please see the MagiGlue™ Technical Brief.