If you enjoy experimenting and get curious about burning super glue. A few questions you might ask are; Is it fireproof? Can you use super glue for a microwave oven? And of course, what happens if you microwave super glue? Although these questions sound super exciting, I would apply some caution if I carry out these experiments. Here’s why.
For example, “what happens if you microwave super glue?” Bad idea! When super glue burns, it releases toxic fumes that are very harmful when inhaled. Also, superglue should not be used for materials that are in direct contact with food. Microwaves are used for heating food and edibles, so it’s a no-no for me.
The fact is that super glue is heat resistant and can withstand high temperatures between 220-275°C but doesn’t pass the microwave test. In this article, I have explained the real answer to this question in detail so keep reading to find out all you need to.
Is it Safe to Microwave Super Glue?
Super glue has very poor fire-proof abilities, so it is very unsafe to microwave superglue. It is also highly flammable and burns with toxic fumes that irritate the eyes and nose so it’s harmful when inhaled. When placed in a microwave oven, most superglue heats up by absorbing the microwave energy.
For super glues that come in metal containers, placing them in the oven can form dangerous sparks. First, the metal forms an arch with microwave energy plus the fumes from superglue. In fact, it is not safe to microwave super glue or any other type of cyanoacrylate in particular.
What Happens if You Heat Super Glue?
If you heat super glue in a bow and open air, all you’ll get is a release of toxic fumes that would hurt the mucous membranes in your eyes and nose and could feel like a sting.
First, it starts by burning clear and then proceeds to form a yellowish color with a gooey consistency and also continues to release those irritable fumes. Now here’s my advice, you need to be extra careful with your eyes and nose as they are very delicate.
If you have fumes stuck to your eyes seek medical attention immediately. Even when they stop hurting, still reach out to a medical doctor because you may have sustained internal injuries.
After releasing toxic fumes, it proceeds to burn in flames. Once you get flames, there would be no release of fumes and this continues to burn till it dries out. When this happens, all you’re left with is a black gooey residue that has lost its stickiness. This means most of the ingredients in super glue evaporate when boiled.
Asides from boiling, when you heat super glue using a blow torch it burns because it’s flammable. Although super glue doesn’t light up like diesel or gasoline and takes a bit longer to catch fire. Once it does, it burns quite nicely till you get a completely burnt residue.
Invariably, super glue becomes less sticky when heated up. Again, you should avoid doing this close to an asthma patient because it can further worsen their condition.
Can You Melt Dried Super Glue?
Yes, you can melt dried super glue. Dried super glue has almost the same consistency as dried plastic. However, in this case, dried superglue doesn’t melt back to the original superglue composition, it only burns and becomes unusable.
I did some research and found that super glue melts at 275°F, so it cannot be melted by hot water that has a boiling point of 212°F. This means using super glue to bind a ceramic ware is safe as it doesn’t get heated up to 275°F.
Related: Is Super Glue Fireproof? [The Facts]
Asides from burning dried super glue, you can also melt by dissolving using acetone or alcohol. Acetone is a strong organic solvent that dissolves polar polymers like cyanoacrylate glue. It weakens the bonds and causes them to dissolve (meltdown).
I also tried using a blow torch for super glue one time and it worked perfectly too. I realized you can use hair dryers for this too as they emit quite an amount of heat.
What Glue is Microwave Safe?
Most glues are not fireproof; they are only heat resistant. Thus, a lot of them cannot be used on the interior of microwaves. We classify microwave-safe super glues as those that can be used to join parts of the microwave oven, especially the exterior without falling off. A few types of super glue I know fall in this category and they are called high temperature (HT) series cyanoacrylates.
HT series cyanoacrylates can withstand high temperatures up to 275°F. They are one the most reliable forms of super glue that isn’t easily distorted by heat. However, only a few in this category are microwave safe.
Another microwave-safe glue is Permabond food-grade adhesive which is FDA compliant and resistant to cleaning supplies and food. So I compared a few types of glue to make it a bit easier for you. Let’s have a look at them below:
| Glue type (Brand) | Microwave Safe? |
| Gorilla glue | Yes |
| Permabond food-grade adhesive | Yes |
| Original super glue | No |
| Properly cured epoxy resin | Yes |
| Loctite super glue | No |
| Sugru glue | Yes |
| Tube stik ‘n seal indoor adhesive | Yes |
| Metallocene hot melt glue | Yes |
| JB weld super glue | No |
Conclusion
So there you have it! When you heat super glue in plastic inside a microwave oven, it explodes and releases toxic fumes which is the same way it does when you burn superglue in a bowl.
I would also add that super glue may heat up when you add them to highly flammable materials like cotton. Its temperature spikes up and if it gets enough heat it may flame up. Although it’s very rare for this to happen, flammability is possible.
Experiments are fun but don’t go too far by lighting up super glue. Now, I understand that curiosity may be a bit exciting sometimes but heating up super glue is a fire hazard and could be extremely dangerous. And just in case you want to do this, remember that “ventilation is everything”. Ensure to use a nose mask and properly kitted.
References
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/superglue