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Ideas for an easily water soluble adhesive/binder?

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AndrewM

Thu Sept 22 2011, 03:52PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

I need an adhesive/binder that dissolves easily in water. School Glue (aka washable white glue) works, but it softens slowly and doesn't really dissolve without extensive agitation.

This seems like such an easy question but I'm drawing a blank. In the back of my mind I'm thinking about some kind of starch - I recall reading once about old-school glues made from flour or something like that.

(Also, hi everyone - I'm back!)

GluD

Thu Sept 22 2011, 06:42PM

Registered Member #1221 Joined: Wed Jan 09 2008, 06:17PM
Location: Odense, Denmark
Posts: 196

Would animal glue work?
As in most cases it is difficult to give advice without knowing the application.

Animal glue on wikipedia:

Dr. Slack

Thu Sept 22 2011, 07:00PM

Registered Member #72 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:29AM
Location: UK St. Albans
Posts: 1659

It depends what you want to stick with it, and how strongly.

I once stuck dyed chopped up sisal string to my chest with Pritt Stik, for a really hairy chest effect for a fancy dress party. It washed off in the shower with no problems (apart from outlet blockage). Pritt is also surpringly good at sticking paper to non-absorbent surfaces like metal - you'd expect it not to work at all, so what it does is "surprisingly well".

But it's not as strong as epoxy, by several orders of magnitude

AndrewM

Thu Sept 22 2011, 09:14PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

No need for strength. I'm going to mix it with a powder and just need a binder to make the powder stick together well.

But it needs to be very very soluble so that it disperses with little agitation when submerged.

GluD

Thu Sept 22 2011, 11:47PM

Registered Member #1221 Joined: Wed Jan 09 2008, 06:17PM
Location: Odense, Denmark
Posts: 196

You may consider using dextrin then, if my memory does not fail me it is prepared by roasting starch in an oven but you would of course wish to look up a recipe.

Would you mind sharing with us the exact application of this, I am becoming increasingly curious.

Dr. Slack

Fri Sept 23 2011, 06:57AM

Registered Member #72 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:29AM
Location: UK St. Albans
Posts: 1659

Pritt sounds good for powder. However, consider researching what binders are used for tablets and the like, ordinary sugar would hold a powder together when it dried, as long as it doesn't interfere with your application. For really rapid dispersal, consider "bath bomb" technology. You get coloured, sparkly and smelly stuff held together with a mix of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate powder - smash them together dry in a die, and they sort of hold together well enough to survive being removed from the packaging. When they get wet of course, the CO2 evolved breaks them apart.

Again, it all depends on your application. What other active chamicals can it stand in the mix? Just how strong does it need to be prior to use? Spill the app and you'll get better answers!

AndrewM

Fri Sept 23 2011, 09:28PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

I did an experiment with a simple water-and-flour glue last night which worked pretty well.

I'd love to know what adhesive/binder is used in the so-called "soluble paper" - that stuff dissolves and all-but disappears instantly upon getting wet.

Flour and water actually make a passable glue, its plenty strong when dry and disperses rapidly but I'd certainly accept something that goes faster upon immersion.

I had a link once upon a time for homemade dextrin glue but I lost it... anyone know how the solubility will compare to flour glue? Worth my time?

Tetris

Fri Sept 23 2011, 09:35PM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

cooked rice works really well.

Tetris

Fri Sept 23 2011, 09:36PM

Registered Member #4016 Joined: Thu Jul 21 2011, 01:52AM
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 660

or also, dissolve sugar in water. Let most water evaporate and you are left with a stiicky mess that will substitute for a soluble glue. It becomes very hard and sticky but is easily (obviously) dissolved in water.

AndrewM

Mon Sept 26 2011, 02:47PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

I made some dextrin by heating cornstarch at 400F for 2 hours; spread on a cookie sheet and stirring every 20 minutes. It turns a nice golden/khaki color.

Some sources say to mix it with an excess of water and reduce via boiling to make glue... however I skipped that part and just mixed it with room temp water in the proportion I liked to give me a dark brown/red paste.

When dry it disperses easily and readily when wet. Many times faster than the flour glue or school glue. I think we have a winner.

Thanks :)

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