# Are all super-glues the same? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 20, 2017, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704 "2017-07-20T06:37:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/1 "2017-07-20T06:37:39Z")
There is cheap super-glue and expensive super-glue. Even super cheap super-glue. They all seem to work the same. Are they different? Is more expensive a better glue? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/2 "2017-07-20T12:29:58Z")
There are a lot of different glues out there, so I can’t positively answer the question, but in my experience most things calling themselves “super glue” or some variation thereof are cyanoacrylates: > **[Cyanoacrylate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanoacrylate)** > > Cyanoacrylates are a family of strong fast-acting adhesives with industrial, medical, and household uses. They are derived from ethyl cyanoacrylate and related esters. The cyanoacrylate group in the monomer rapidly polymerizes in the presence of water to form long, strong chains. > Specific cyanoacrylates include methyl 2-cyanoacrylate (MCA), ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate (ECA, commonly sold under trade names such as "Super Glue" and "Krazy Glue"), n-butyl cyanoacrylate (n-BCA), octyl cyanoacrylate, a... > [@](#): > > Cyanoacrylates include methyl 2-cyanoacrylate, ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate (commonly sold under trade names such as “Super Glue” and “Krazy Glue”), n-butyl cyanoacrylate and 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (used in medical, veterinary and first aid applications). Octyl cyanoacrylate was developed to address toxicity concerns and to reduce skin irritation and allergic response. Cyanoacrylate adhesives are sometimes known generically as instant glues, power glues or superglues (although “Super Glue” is a trade name).[1] The abbreviation “CA” is commonly used for industrial grades. So there are different types of cyanoacrylate cements. Certainly some of them use additives to make them thicker or for other purposes, and the purity might vary as well. That might explain the differences you observe between brands. _Gorilla Glue_, by the way, isn’t a cyanoacrylate. It’s polyurethane-based. But I’ve never heard it called _super glue_ by anyone. > **[Gorilla Glue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_Glue)** > > Gorilla Glue is an American brand of polyurethane adhesives based in Sharonville, Ohio. They are known for their original Gorilla Glue, which was first sold in 1994. The company has since branched out to make a line of similar products, including tapes, epoxies, and other adhesives. It is known for its unique advertisements, which involve someone breaking something and needing glue. It is usually given to them by a gorilla, surprising them. > In 1994, during a trip to Indonesia, Mark Singer saw ... ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/3 "2017-07-20T12:35:43Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > _Gorilla Glue_, by the way, isn’t a cyanoacrylate. It’s polyurethane-based. But I’ve never heard it called _super glue_ by anyone. > > [Gorilla Glue - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_Glue) The original Gorilla Glue product is prolyurethane, but now they have a whole range, including PVA and superglue ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/4 "2017-07-20T12:53:35Z")
Get what you pay for, if you’re lucky. “Superglues” have a shelf life, fresh stuff seems to work better. Helps if stored in the fridge. Course if we kept everything in the fridge that should be, there wouldn’t be any room for food. Good rationale for a beer fridge. Thank me later. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/5 "2017-07-20T13:15:19Z")
Looking at the range of cyanoacrylate products manufactured by Loctite will make your head spin. There are variants for just about every application you can think of, and then about three times as many for applications you would never have thought of. Even without getting into the question of _quality_ of product, one thing is clear, there are better and worse adhesives for different applications. Maybe I’m just paying too much, but I will only use a name brand superglue on something that matters. Usually Loctite. There are however times where you really don’t care and cheap is good. When you only need it for a temporary fix, then the no-name stuff is quite adequate. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/6 "2017-07-20T13:19:35Z")
Even aside from the quality of the product, there’s also a lot of variation in quality of the packaging. Most superglues, you can only use them once before the glue itself plugs up the nozzle. I usually wait until I have a half-dozen things that all need gluing before I open up a fresh tube, because it’ll probably be useless the next time I need it. But occasionally, you’ll find a tube that can actually be re-used. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/7 "2017-07-20T13:21:47Z")
The ones that are applied with a small brush attached to the cap are better in this regard. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/8 "2017-07-20T13:27:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even aside from the quality of the product, there’s also a lot of variation in quality of the packaging. Most superglues, you can only use them once before the glue itself plugs up the nozzle. I usually wait until I have a half-dozen things that all need gluing before I open up a fresh tube, because it’ll probably be useless the next time I need it. But occasionally, you’ll find a tube that can actually be re-used. Dollar store super glue - four tiny tubes in a plastic pill bottle type container. Probably not the best glue, but seems to stick, and if I can’t re-open a tube, no biggie to pitch it and open a new one. ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/9 "2017-07-20T13:32:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even aside from the quality of the product, there’s also a lot of variation in quality of the packaging. Most superglues, you can only use them once before the glue itself plugs up the nozzle. I usually wait until I have a half-dozen things that all need gluing before I open up a fresh tube, because it’ll probably be useless the next time I need it. But occasionally, you’ll find a tube that can actually be re-used. I’ve had the best luck by far with Gorilla brand superglue (their cyanoacrylate). Even after opened and stored in a hot garage for months it is still usable. All others I’ve tried are good for only a couple uses before clogging up. ETA: The Gorilla CA is also a little thicker so it doesn’t run off like many others. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/10 "2017-07-20T13:34:12Z")
One difference between cyanoacrylates is the level brittleness. You will get additives that make the adhesive slightly more forgiving to shock. If you want the joint to be temporary this is a bad thing. For instance most people will have come across Loctite in one of its original incarnations as a thread locker. Sometimes you want to be able to later undo a locked thread, only wanting the lock to stop vibration loosening the fastener. Other times you really never want it apart again. You use a brittle glue formulation for the temporary lock, and a more resilient formulation for the permanent. My impression (formed with no actual evidence) is that the cheap superglues don’t have any of the interesting additives, and are the simple raw brittle form. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/11 "2017-07-20T13:34:48Z")
I’m finding that certain cheap plastics don’t seem to take a gluin’. Is that because I’m using cheap superglue or the wrong type of superglue? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/12 "2017-07-20T13:45:19Z")
Some plastics have very low surface energy, and they simply don’t glue. There are two part glue systems that use a surface prep and then adhesive that will glue many of them. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/13 "2017-07-20T14:38:15Z")
Super-glues are definitely not all the same. Apart from the differences mentioned above, they also have different formulas to create larger or smaller “open times”, that is the amount of time after application that you can make a bond. They can also have different viscosities, from watery to gel-like. One of the few times working for an adhesive company has helped me answer a question on the Dope! ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-all-super-glues-the-same/791704/14 "2017-07-20T15:47:42Z")
Many cyanoacrylate glues don’t work well on glass, polyethylene and polypropylene. But there are special formulas that do work on these materials. Hardening in the tube after opening can be mitigated by storing the tube in an air tight glass jar with a few packets of desiccant.