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
,
and
2-octyl cyanoacrylate
(used in medical, veterinary and first aid
applications). Cyanoacrylate adhesives are sometimes known
generically as
instant glues
,
power glues
or
superglues
. The
abbreviation "CA" is commonly used for industrial grade cyanoacrylate.
Chemical structure of
ethyl cyanoacrylate
, the precursor to many
commercial adhesives.