Polymerization upon contact with moisture

Polymerization upon contact with moisture describes a chemical process where certain monomers or prepolymers undergo polymerization when exposed to water or atmospheric humidity. Common examples include cyanoacrylate adhesives, silicones, and urethane prepolymers, which rapidly harden or set upon exposure to even trace amounts of water. This process is exploited in many commercial and medical adhesives, dental materials, and hydrogels. Mechanistically, water acts as a trigger—initiating processes such as hydrolysis of reactive end groups or catalytic nucleophilic attack, resulting in the formation of polymer networks or crosslinks[4][5][7]. This is not a biological macromolecule, and thus does not serve as a direct target for conventional pharmacological intervention.

Other names

Moisture-cure polymerizationWater-activated polymerizationHumidity-triggered polymerization

Initiation of polymerization upon exposure to water, usually via: Hydrolysis of reactive groups (e.g., isocyanate, cyanoacrylate); Formation of cross-links or chains upon contact with moisture[2][7]; Propagation via chain or step-growth mechanisms depending on monomer[4][5][7]