What causes adhesives to be sticky?

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What cause sticky substances to adhere to an object and why do some sticky things not stick to certain surfaces?

In: Chemistry

Anonymous 0 Comments

Definitely not gpt:

Sure, let’s delve a bit deeper:

1. **Chemical Composition**: Adhesives contain molecules with adhesive properties, such as polymers or resinous compounds. These molecules have specific functional groups that enable them to form bonds with surfaces they contact.

2. **Intermolecular Forces**: When the adhesive comes into contact with a surface, intermolecular forces like van der Waals forces or hydrogen bonding occur between the adhesive molecules and the molecules on the surface. These forces create a bond between the adhesive and the surface, causing the adhesive to stick.

3. **Tackifiers**: Some adhesives include tackifiers, which are additives that enhance stickiness. Tackifiers increase the adhesive’s ability to wet the surface, allowing it to spread out and make better contact. This increases the area of contact and strengthens the adhesive bond.

4. **Surface Roughness**: The roughness of the surfaces being bonded can also affect the adhesive’s stickiness. Rough surfaces provide more contact points for the adhesive to adhere to, increasing the strength of the bond.

5. **Temperature and Pressure**: Factors like temperature and pressure can influence the adhesive’s ability to form strong bonds. For example, heat-activated adhesives become stickier when heated, while pressure-sensitive adhesives become stickier when pressure is applied.

Overall, the combination of chemical properties, intermolecular forces, additives, and external factors determines the stickiness of adhesives.