About the history of glue formation

One of the ancient methods for bonding objects together has been the use of adhesive. Historical evidence shows that around three thousand years ago, before the evolution of adhesive technology, this method was employed. Ancient adhesives resembled tar, for example, it was used in the construction of the Tower of Babel in the form of bitumen. Until the twentieth century, adhesive technology did not see much advancement. However, during World War II, due to the urgent need to bond metals together and to other materials, significant efforts were made to improve this technology. For this purpose, a mixture of phenolic resin with polyvinyl chloride or titrile was used to create effective adhesives.

In the 1950s, considerable efforts were made to create adhesives with very good bonding capabilities to various materials, especially metals, and epoxy adhesives were produced that had high bonding strength.

Adhesive technology has seen significant growth in the last three decades. For example, in 1966, approximately seven million pounds of adhesive were consumed worldwide, which was a fifteen percent increase compared to 1965. Construction adhesives, due to increased production and consumption, are considered an important part of this industry, and new formulations are introduced for new applications. Adhesive manufacturers are always in competition to produce new types of adhesives.

Currently, there are over hundreds of adhesive producers and formulators, and this number is increasing day by day. For example, the adhesive industry in the United States is recognized as a specialized profession with thousands of people working in it.

With the emergence of synthetic adhesives produced from the polymer industry, the use of traditional, plant-based, and animal-based adhesives has decreased. The adhesive industry is currently growing extensively, and there is almost no modern human-made object that does not use adhesive. Adhesives are not only used to bond objects together but are also essential in creating adhesion for materials such as ink, paints, and other surface coatings, as well as intermediate components in composite materials such as steel or fabric structures, rubber tires, and glass or fibers in plastics.