
Sugru (), also known as Formerol, is a patented
multi-purpose, non-slumping brand of
adhesive
Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation.
The use of adhesives offers certain advantage ...
silicone rubber
Silicone rubber is an elastomer composed of silicone—itself a polymer—containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry, and there are multiple formulations. Silicone rubbers ar ...
that resembles
modelling clay
Modelling clay or modelling compound is any of a group of malleable substances used in building and sculpting. The material compositions and production processes vary considerably.
Ceramic clay
Ceramic clays are water-based substances made f ...
.
It is available in several colours and upon exposure to air, cures to a rubber-like texture.
Properties
Sugru is malleable when removed from its airtight, moisture-proof packaging, retains its plasticity for thirty minutes, and is self-
curing at room temperature in approximately 24 hours. The material adheres to aluminium, steel, copper, ceramics, glass, fabric, brass, leather, plywood, and other materials, including
ABS plastics.
When cured, Sugru has a 'soft touch' or slightly flexible, grippable texture similar to features commonly found in soft
overmolds. It is waterproof and dishwasher-safe, and the material is thermally insulating, with a service temperature range between −50 and 180 °C (between −58 and 356 °F or 223 and 453 K).
Sugru is not resistant to
isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol (IUPAC name propan-2-ol and also called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable, organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor.
Isopropyl alcohol, an organic polar molecule, is miscible in water, ethanol, an ...
. While early versions of the product had a short shelf-life, as of 2014, it was being advertised as staying fresh for 13 months from the date it was made.
According to the company, if kept in a refrigerator, the remaining shelf-life is tripled.
Sugru has not been tested for
food safety, and the manufacturers advise against using it in contact with food or drink.
History
The idea for Sugru was developed by
Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh
Jane may refer to:
* Jane (given name), a feminine given name including list of persons and characters with the name
* Jane (surname), related to the given name including list of persons and characters with the name
Film and television
* ''Jan ...
from
Kilkenny
Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
,
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
.
Ní Dhulchaointigh studied product design as a post-graduate research student at the
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...
, where she conceived the idea for the substance in 2003 while using mixtures of standard silicone sealants and sawdust in her work.
After receiving business grants,
Ní Dhulchaointigh worked with retired scientists from
Dow Corning
Dow Corning Corporation, was an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States, and was originally established as a joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Inc., Corning Incorporated. In 20 ...
and a silicone expert over a seven-year period
at the materials department at
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL, or informally QM, and formerly Queen Mary and Westfield College) is a public research university in Mile End, East London, England. It is a member institution of the federal University of London.
Today, ...
to develop a silicone
elastomer
An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young's modulus (E) and high failure strain compared with other materials. The term, a portmanteau of ''ela ...
that was mouldable, self-adhesive and self-curing. Her goal was to enable people "to easily and affordably repair, improve or customise things they already own".
Sugru was developed by and is marketed by FormFormForm, a company in
Hackney, London, with over 100,000 customers as of 2012, annual sales of US$2 million, and a staff of 30.
In May 2015, the company launched a campaign to raise £1 million (US$) on the crowdfunding site
CrowdCube
Crowdcube is a British investment crowdfunding platform, established by Darren Westlake and Luke Lang in 2011.
Model
Equity-based crowdfunding is a new fundraising model for entrepreneurs. Individuals' investments are pooled, allowing entrepr ...
.
The company reached its £1 million funding target in just four days
and continued on to raise well over £3 million.
In December 2016, the company secured a further £4m investment from
Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks.
The name Sugru derives from the
Irish language
Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family. It is a member of the Goidelic languages of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous ...
word "súgradh" for "play".
In May 2018, FormFormForm was acquired by German adhesive company
Tesa SE, a subsidiary of
Beiersdorf
Beiersdorf AG is a German multinational company that manufactures personal-care products and pressure-sensitive adhesives headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. Its brands include Elastoplast, Eucerin (makers of Aquaphor), Labello, La Prairi ...
.
Chemical compound
The formulation of Sugru contains 25-50% silicone (polysiloxane), 25–50%
talc
Talc, or talcum, is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, with the chemical formula . Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thickening agent and lubricant ...
, and the remaining additives including
methyltris (methylethylketoxime)
silane
Silane (Silicane) is an inorganic compound with chemical formula . It is a colorless, pyrophoric gas with a sharp, repulsive, pungent smell, somewhat similar to that of acetic acid. Silane is of practical interest as a precursor to elemental ...
and
(3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.
The company claims its formulation can be varied to offer different levels of consistency, plasticity, softness, resiliency, surface adhesion, modulus and abrasion resistance, setting time, density, and ability to float.
According to the company's MSDS for the U.S., Sugru is classified as "not hazardous" under OSHA's 2012
Hazard Communication Standard,
and for Europe, Sugru "does not meet the criteria for classification in any hazard class" under EU Regulation No. 1272/2008 and Directive 1999/45/EC.
However, both versions of the MSDS note that Sugru may cause irritation or
skin sensitization.
See also
*
Polymer clay
*
Adhesive putty
*
Silly Putty
Silly Putty is a toy containing silicone polymers that have unusual physical properties. It can flow like a liquid, bounce and can be stretched or broken depending on the amount of physical stress to which it is subjected. It contains viscoelas ...
*
Polycaprolactone
Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a synthetic, semi-crystalline, biodegradable polyester with a melting point of about 60 °C and a glass transition temperature of about −60 °C. The most common use of polycaprolactone is in the production ...
*
Polyvinyl siloxane
References
External links
* {{official website, https://sugru.com
US required Safety Data SheetEU required Safety Data Sheet
Products introduced in 2003
Irish inventions
Silicones
Brand name materials
Modelling clay
Handicrafts