Comparing the Durability and Strength of Simple Adhesive Recipes and PVA-Based Glues

Abstract

Adhesives are essential components of factory production, for maintaining the stability of large structures, and even for pastimes such as paper-mâché crafts. Therefore, it is imperative that adhesives retain their durability and strength when under pressure. The purpose of this project was to test the tensile strength of several adhesive recipes in order to ultimately create a stronger adhesive. To test the tensile strength of each adhesive, one of the adherends had weights attached and was suspended and the amount of time that the adhesive stayed attached was recorded. After completing the experimental procedures, it was found that the flour/water adhesive, cornstarch adhesive, and the waterproof adhesives performed the best, Elmer’s glue and the Gum Arabic adhesive performed less well than the first three adhesives, and Elmer’s glue with beads did not stay attached. In conclusion, the simple adhesives recipes outperformed Elmer’s glue, most likely because they had better cohesive strength and were able to dry faster. The results of this experiment can aid in the creation of a stronger and more cost-efficient adhesive product. Based on these results, future work will be aimed towards determining the effects of environmental changes like humidity and temperature on the tensile strength.