When we need to glue something, that question arises: what is the best type of glue? Contrary to what many people think, there is a type of glue for each specific material. The fundamental principle is the affinity of the glue, it needs to match the surface to be glued. For example, a fabric glue is not suitable for gluing plastic materials, and vice versa. It is based on this principle that there is a variety of glues available on the market: shoe glue, white glue (PVA), hot glue, instant glue, silicone glue, etc.
Follow the steps on how to make a well-made collage:
1. Choosing: First of all, you need to choose the most suitable glue, this choice depends on the material to be glued, for example, why you use it glue for gluing wood and paper and these two objects look so different (paper is soft and perishable and wood is hard and resistant)?. In fact, these objects have in their composition a basic material in common: cellulose, because the raw material for the manufacture of paper is wood. Once the material has been chosen, just go to the 2nd step:
2. Cleaning: Performing a thorough cleaning of the place to be glued is important, as dirt such as dust and oils, for example, can be harmful in the process.
3. Glue: The glue must be added evenly over the entire surface, which is why it has to be fully attracted by the material to be glued.
The fact that the glue is attracted to the contact surface is not enough for efficient gluing. If you look carefully at a surface with the help of a microscope, you will see that it is not as smooth as it appears to the naked eye, on the contrary, it is porous and irregular. It is precisely this aspect that helps the process, the glue penetrates the holes and adheres better to the object.
Another question that may arise is: Why does the glue dry? Glues in general are liquid, that is, they contain water in their composition. When you glue an object and leave it in the open air, water is lost (evaporated) from the liquid part of the glue.
By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
Brazil School Team
Chemistry Curiosities - Chemistry - Brazil School
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/o-que-faz-com-que-cola-cole.htm