Cyanoacrylate: History and Applications

Cyanoacrylate was first discovered during World War II by the American chemist Harry Coover, who was working at Eastman Kodak in New York at the time on the development of optical prisms for weapons. Although the substance’s extreme stickiness initially posed a challenge during processing, it was later successfully commercialized. The first cyanoacrylate-based product, Eastman 910, was introduced in 1958 after the material had been patented in 1956. Today, cyanoacrylates are widely used as “superglue” and are frequently employed in crafts and model making.

In the medical field, 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 following accidents and surgical procedures. Thanks to its ability to stop bleeding, cyanoacrylate became an important tool for surgeons and has saved countless lives. During the Vietnam War, cyanoacrylate sprays were used for rapid wound care, but were not approved for civilian use due to potential skin irritation. It was not until 1998, with the development of 2-octylcyanoacrylate, that the spray dressing could also be used outside of military settings.

Since 2011, cyanoacrylate-based adhesives have been approved in Europe as vein sealants for the treatment of varicose veins.

In forensic science, cyanoacrylate is used to make fingerprints visible. The liquid is heated, and the resulting vapors condense on the fingerprints; however, the fingerprints must retain a certain amount of residual moisture to become visible. The fingerprint then becomes visible as a white pattern.