A new type of glue, which can create a powerful bond when charged by low voltage electricity supply might be the first of its kind and is introduced by the research team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. According to the research panel, an invention of this type of adhesive can be a big transformer in manufacturing fields, which is as diverse as the automobiles and biological implants industry.
The researchers of the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have introduced a new type of adhesive that can be a gigantic booster and life changing for the manufacturing sectors. This glue generates a highly powerful bond within the material when it is supplied with low voltage electricity.
This novel type of adhesive is available in a liquid form that functions to generate a strong polymer bond when a voltage of less or equal to two volts is supplied through it. It cures itself to deliver such robust end-result. The curing procedure is the amount of time that the glue takes for reaching full power or strength after it gets dry. The glue stops working on its curing process as soon as the supply of current is stopped or turned off. For users, it can be of great benefit as they can alter the strength and flexibility of the bond that as per their convenience. They can do this by varying the supply and duration of the current voltage.
The main bonding agent is light, which is a low-viscosity flowing gel that enables users to coat and precisely position the materials that have to be linked. On applying a voltage to the liquid speeds up the curing process to deliver a robust bond with high shear strength and elasticity.
The presently available fast curing adhesives that are used in the industry are triggered by heat, light or chemical catalysts, each of which have a limited use of specific materials and ideal environments. Adhesives that are activated through light are suitable only for materials that are more or less transparent, while thermosetting is ideal for components that can easily withstand heat.
Such fast curing glues or adhesives are employed extensively in the manufacturing of medical devices, consumer goods, automobiles and other high-end products, where they are preferred over labor-intensive techniques of production. They are used to join heavier mechanical fasteners like rivets, bolts and screws, which diminishes the core strength of the material to be joined. However, over few decades, little innovation has been witnessed in the production of such units.
Some of the potential uses of the electro-cured adhesives are biological devices for which thermosetting or photo-setting adhesives are troubling, like polymer electronics or bioelectronics. The glue can be adjusted to regulate various specifications and vibration frequencies or to comply with the firmness and versatility of the soft tissue of the material to which it will be used for attaching.
Conclusion – Besides biomedical applications, the novel adhesive is also useful for other applications like it can make automobile assembly lines much more efficient. It is because the thermosetting or photo-setting adhesives require high-maintenance and costly hardware.
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