Hobby Chemistry: CA Glue Activator

So my first test is a combination of BiCarb and a fast evaporating carrier, in this case, Isopropyl Alcohol.

I measured out 100ml of IPA into a conical flask and then put a 5ml measuring spoon of BiCarb into it and gently swirled.

The result… basically no BiCarb dissolved. (Turns out BiCarb is only Very Slightly dissolved by alcohol)

I’m trying to create and effective superglue activator that is simple and safe to make and gives good value for money.

Super Glue is basically a form of resin dissolved in an Acid, the chemical process for it to cure basically involves the moisture in the surrounding air which helps the chemical bonds form.

However, we also know that using an alkaline such as bicarbonate of soda can not only speed up this process but may, in fact, allow for an even stronger bond to be formed.

So in this experiment, I’m setting out to find what is the best way to create a liquified version of Bicarbonate of Soda that I can lightly spray onto glued joints to speed up the curing process.

Important these are experiments, while I try to research possible reactions beforehand I am no chemist, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THESE EXPERIMENTS UNSUPERVISED!

In this Experiment

Isopropyl Alchohol:

• DO NOT DRINK
• DO NOT GET ON SKIN OR IN EYES
• HIGHLY FLAMMABLE
• See the attached Safety Data Sheet

Bicarbonate of Soda:

• DO NOT INGEST
• DO NOT GET IN EYES
• DO NOT INHALE
• See the attached Safety Data Sheet