Glue stick
Glue sticks are solid and hard adhesives in twist or push-up tubes. Users can apply glue by holding the open tube to keep their fingers clean and rubbing the exposed stick against a surface.
Applications[edit]
Most glue sticks are designed to glue paper and card stock together, and are not as strong as some liquid-based variants. They can be used for craft and design, office use and at school. There are several varieties: permanent, washable, acid-free, non-toxic, solvent-free, and dyed (e.g. to see where the glue is being applied).
Brands[edit]
In 1969, the German company Henkel invented the glue stick after studying the "twist-up ease" and convenience of lipstick applicators. The product was released under the Pritt Stick brand. By 1971 the Pritt Stick was being sold in 38 countries, by 2001 in 121.[1] The first solvent-free, multipurpose glue stick that could be used for other materials (e.g. wood, glass and some plastics) was the "PowerPritt", which was put on the market in 2003.[2] There is also a "Pritt X", launched in 2010.
In the UK, the name "Pritt Stick" is often used as a generic term for any glue stick but it seems to be dying out more recently as a generic name.
Glue sticks are made under many brands and each may have different features to it. Various brands, such as Scotch, Elmer's, UHU, Kores, Giotto, UFO, Snopake, and Bostik U-Stick make glue sticks. Generic brands like M&G also manufacture glue sticks, utilising the twist action.
Sizes[edit]
Glue sticks can come in many sizes, the most common ones are 8g, 25g, 36g, and 43g.
Material[edit]
Known materials to be used for glue sticks are PVA or PVP.
Composition[edit]
Glue stick compositions are often proprietary and vary by manufacturer and type. The 3M product contains the following ingredients: [3]
| Name | % content | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 40% | Evaporates to allow the glue to dry. |
| Acrylic polymer | 40% | Polymerizes to solidify dried glue. |
| Sodium stearate | 10% | This soap helps emulsify the acrylic, and lubricates the glue to apply smoothly. |
| Polyethylene glycol | 3% | Keeps dried glue somewhat moist and flexible. |
| Polyoxyethylene monooctylpphenyl ether | 2% | Emulsifier. |
| N-Vinylpyrrolidone monomer | 2% | Polymerizes as the glue dries. |
| 2-amino isobutanol | 2% | pH buffer, to neutralize acid. |
| Sodium hydroxide | 0.3% | Alkali, to keep stick pH above 10. |
The reportable composition of a Pritt Stick is as follows:[4]
| Name | EC number | CAS number | % content | Risk Statements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caprolactam | 203-313-2 | 105-60-2 | 1 - 5% | Xn;R20/22 Xi;R36/37/38 |
| Hydrogen peroxide solution ...% | 231-765-0 | 7722-84-1 | < 1% | O;R8 C;R34 |
| Sodium hydroxide | 215-185-5 | 1310-73-2 | < 1% | C;R35 |
Other brands use, e.g., polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the glue substance.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^ "Pritt History". Archived from the original on 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-05-06.
- ^ "Pegamento Pritt para manualidades". Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ MSDS: 3M Brand Re-stickable Glue Stick
- ^ "Pritt Stick Safety Data Sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-08-04.