Nanoparticles used to create powder that becomes sticky when squished
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029382
New Scientist : The two most common types of glue are liquids that dry and solids that are melted and then cooled. Now Syuji Fujii of Osaka Institute of Technology in Japan and his colleagues have created a dry powder that turns to glue when squished. The powder consists of millimeter-sized balls of liquid trapped inside a layer of calcium carbonate nanoparticles. When put under pressure, the balls break and release the sticky liquid, which creates the bond as it dries. Fujii thinks that the glue will be most useful for fitting together complicated shapes, such as parts in automobiles, aircraft, and electronics, because the powder can be easily poured into the gaps between the parts before the stickiness is activated.
