【英语时差8,16】强力胶

 

 

If you've ever had a spill when working with SuperGlue®, then you know that the warning on the side of the tube is the absolute truth: SuperGlue will indeed bond skin in a matter of seconds.   

You may have wondered, as you were trying to pry¹ your fingers apart, exactly why SuperGlue is so good at bonding skin together. Why does it stick your fingers together so quickly, but not stick to the inside of the tube?

 

SuperGlue is the brand name of a type of glue made from a chemical called cyano-acrylate monomer. Cyano-acrylate monomers have some properties that are especially interesting to glue manufacturers.

 

Monomers are small molecules² that can join together to form long chemical chains. These chains, known as polymers, are pretty common in everyday life. For example, all plastics are made from polymer chains of simple molecules, as are all synthetic³ fabrics⁴.

 

What makes the cyano-acrylate monomer so special is the speed with which it forms polymers, and the fact that as it joins together, it tends to lock everything else around it into place as well. This rapid transformation⁵ from unsticky liquid monomer to sticky solid polymer requires the presence of a little bit of water to get things started---whether it is in the air or on your skin. Without a little moisture, SuperGlue can't bond anything.

 

This explains why the glue is so good at sticking fingers together. Our skin is naturally moist, and this moisture is just what those monomers are waiting for. As long as no moisture gets into the tube, however, it will stay an unsticky liquid for a long time.   

 

1 pry   

vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起)

参考例句：

• He's always ready to pry into other people's business.他总爱探听别人的事。
• We use an iron bar to pry open the box.我们用铁棍撬开箱子。

2 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

3 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

4 fabrics   

织物( fabric的名词复数 )； 布； 构造； （建筑物的）结构（如墙、地面、屋顶）：质地

参考例句：

• cotton fabrics and synthetics 棉织物与合成织物
• The fabrics are merchandised through a network of dealers. 通过经销网点销售纺织品。

5 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。