Superglue is actually a chemical substance called cyanoacrylate that was originally discovered by Dr. Harry Coover during a research project to develop an optically clear plastic for use in gun sights. The discovery was made while working for the Kodak Research Laboratories in 1942.

Cyanoacrylate, ironically was rejected as a possible solution due to it’s highly sticky nature and it wasn’t until nine years later in 1951 that Dr. Coover, along with colleague Dr. Fred Joyner rediscovered the substance. Now supervising research at the Eastman Company of Tennessee, Cover and Joyner were trying to find a heat resistant acrylate polymer for use in jet engines.

The stickiness of cyanoacrylate was proven again during an experiment where Joyner spread a thin layer of ethyl cyanoacrylate between refractometer prisms, and found that they stuck together. Eventually the message hit home and Coover realised the protential that cyanoacrylate was in itself a useful product as an adhesive.

In 1958 the Eastman company brought their inspiringly named “Compound 910” to the market. Unsurprisingly that name was later changed to the altogether more catchy “Superglue” that we know and love today.