Author:
Yasemin Dursun
Cyanoacrylate: history and application
Cyanoacrylate was first discovered during the Second World War by the American chemist Harry Coover, who was working on the development of optical prisms for weapons at Eastman Kodak in New York. Although the extreme stickiness of the substance was initially an obstacle to processing, it was later successfully commercialized. The first cyanoacrylate-based product, Eastman 910, was introduced in 1958 after the material was patented in 1956. Today, cyanoacrylates are widely used as "superglues" and are often used in crafts and model making.
In medicine, Eastman submitted an application to the FDA in 1964 to approve cyanoacrylate adhesives for use on human tissue and for wound care. The adhesive's unique polymerization reaction enabled various medical applications, including wound care in accidents and surgical procedures. Due to its ability to stop bleeding, cyanoacrylate became an important tool for surgeons and has saved numerous lives. During the Vietnam War, cyanoacrylate sprays were used to quickly treat wounds, but were not approved for civilian use due to possible skin irritation. It was not until 1998, with the development of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate, that the spray dressing could also be used outside the military.
Since 2011, cyanoacrylate-based adhesives have been approved in Europe as vein adhesives for the treatment of varicose veins.
Cyanoacrylate is used in forensics to make fingerprints visible. The liquid is heated and the resulting vapors condense on the fingerprints, which must have a certain amount of residual moisture to become visible. The fingerprint then becomes visible as a white pattern.
In medicine, Eastman submitted an application to the FDA in 1964 to approve cyanoacrylate adhesives for use on human tissue and for wound care. The adhesive's unique polymerization reaction enabled various medical applications, including wound care in accidents and surgical procedures. Due to its ability to stop bleeding, cyanoacrylate became an important tool for surgeons and has saved numerous lives. During the Vietnam War, cyanoacrylate sprays were used to quickly treat wounds, but were not approved for civilian use due to possible skin irritation. It was not until 1998, with the development of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate, that the spray dressing could also be used outside the military.
Since 2011, cyanoacrylate-based adhesives have been approved in Europe as vein adhesives for the treatment of varicose veins.
Cyanoacrylate is used in forensics to make fingerprints visible. The liquid is heated and the resulting vapors condense on the fingerprints, which must have a certain amount of residual moisture to become visible. The fingerprint then becomes visible as a white pattern.
