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Sugru: The hacker's material

Sugru is a formulation of Formerol F.10, a patented formable silicone. More practically, it's the hacker's material, the adult's version of play dough, and overall just a really cool product.
Written by Emil Protalinski, Contributor

I was just introduced to Sugru. The product is a formulation of Formerol F.10, a patented formable silicone technology. Formerol can be designed with variable physical properties, but sugru is the best version for most people.

To me, it's the hacker's material. At least that's one way to describe it. Below are some features.

  • Hand formable: Sugru can be formed and shaped by hand for up to 30 minutes once it has been removed from its packaging.
  • Sticks to almost anything: Sugru is designed to stick to as many other materials as possible. It forms a strong bond to aluminium, steel, ceramics, glass, wood and other materials including some plastics like perspex and ABS and rubbers like silicone and butyl rubber.
  • Air cures at room temperature: Sugru is like modelling clay when you take it from its pack. Once it's exposed to air, it cures to a tough flexible silicone overnight using the moisture in the air. Working time = 30 mins. Cure time = 24hrs (3-5 mm deep).
  • Strong + durable = great outdoors: Sugru is stong and durable. Once cured, it will also stand up to anything the weather throws at it, wet or dry, hot or cold it will be great. It also won't fade in the sun and it's fine with sea water too!
  • Flexible when cured: When Sugru cures, it's flexible rather than rigid. Which means that you can repair things that need to be able to move like textiles, cables, or shoes. It's also electrically insulating – how awesome is that?
  • Soft touch & grippy: As Sugru is a silicone rubber, it feels soft to touch when it has cured, but is also grippy. This makes it perfect for handles and grips as it is comfortable but non-slip.
  • Stable at High and Low temperatures: Sugru is resistant from -60°C to + 180°C. It gets hot and cold but it won't get softer or harder or melt.
  • Waterproof: Once it's cured, Sugru is pretty much like other silicones – so it's completely waterproof. It's easy to clean with soap and water, and it's durable in the harsh conditions of your washing machine and dishwasher, and even in the sea.
  • Removable: Once cured, you can remove it with a craft knife and then remove residue with fingernails and tissue paper.

Another way I can think of describing Sugru is to say it's the adult's version of play dough. Of course, that doesn't mean kids can't benefit:

That being said, Sugru is not certified as child safe, so it shouldn't be used by children. It's also not certified as food safe (yet), so resist the urge to eat it.

To learn more about Sugru, read the company's story at sugru.com/story. If you want the technical details check out the two-page Technical Data Sheet (PDF) and the four-page Material Safety Data Sheet (PDF).

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