Check this out.
[Q] Is it true that CA glue is made from Cyanide? Can I poison myself with it?
[A] Shingend@ix.netcom.com (Mark and/or Mary Shannon)
As a qualified chemist (Ph.D. in the ruddy subject), let me try to
clarify the point.
Cyanoacrylate glues contain the group H2C=CH-CN: Where the =
represents a double bond between two carbons and there is a triple
bond between the carbon and nitrogen of the CN. CN is the 'cyano'
group, and a three-carbon chain with a double bond next to another
type of multiple bond (or some other form of electron rich group
such as a radical or anion) is an 'acrylic' group -- the combination
gives a relatively high reactivity to the compounds and allows them
to polymerize like a plastic. Many non-toxic compounds contain both
types of groups, and many medicines have cyano groups. Along with
this group, there are other chemicals and can be other chains
attached to that cyanoacrylate group in place of one or more of the
hydrogens.
There is <b>NO, NONE, NADA</b> cyanide released on curing these glues and
hardening. There are some obnoxious fumes released -- some of them
just parts that boil out from the heat of the curing reaction. BUT,
whenever an organic chemical that contains nitrogen is burned, some
cyanogen/hydrogen cyanide is released. This happens with tobacco,
meat, veggies, fireplace wood, etc. This release is worst when there
is not enough oxygen present in the burning zone to ensure complete
combustion -- so if there is a lot of smoke formation, there is more
likelyhood of cyanide formation.
As with any chemical process, it is best to have good ventilation
when dealing with these compounds, but most Cyanoacrylate glues have
been formulated as non-toxic (some of the original uses were as skin
and tissue glues to replace sutures in surgery). If you are burning
CA glues, do it in the same hood you use for spray painting. This
goes for operations where you are using CA glue to hold parts for
soldering, especially, since the fluxes and the modest burning
temperatures add their own brew to the mix. Combustion Chemistry is
a field in itself, and there are many things not understood about
general rules of chemical formation in various conditions of burning
organic compounds. I would suggest that everyone play it safer than
they might normally when they are burning any of the materials used
in this hobby.
I found this at: http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/rms_tips/rmsfaq.5.html and there are some other good Q&A on CA glue and its use. I enjoyed reading the other questions.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Originally posted by heineda
<br />Greg,
I have since found out that as the CA cures, it emits a gas. The gas is what is bothering your nose. The gas is Cyanide!!! Make sure you have lots of ventilation when using the CA finish method
Dan Heine
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