A Sticky Situation: Super Glue in Warfare
Super Glue actually was used to seal up battle wounds during the Vietnam War.
It well known that Super Glue is, true to its name, an extremely strong adhesive. It has established itself as a substance of immense importance in households and industries. Although this super-sticky substance seems to be a piece of genius, its history is interesting because it was not intentionally created to be a glue, but was rather discovered by accident due to warfare. Even more interesting is the fact that the accident had to occur twice before it was ultimately put to use.
Formally known as cyanoacrylate, Super Glue was serendipitously discovered by Dr. Harry Wesley Coover during World War II. In 1942, he was in search of materials for making clear plastic gun sights to be used by Allied soldiers in the war against Axis.
During this project, Coover happened upon the very sticky cyanoacrylate. This substance had very high adhesive properties and would have worked well for holding the plastic gun sights. But Coover and his team abandoned it because it stuck to everything it came in contact with and almost ruined the project.
8 April 2025
