Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am doing the project called Waste not want not and it says to use nickle epoxy or another conductive adhesive to attach the copper wire to the carbon cloth. I have tried the conductive adhesive but it detached when i placed it in the water. I have now ordered nickel epoxy but when i looked at the FAQs it said that it would lose its bond in water. I need to get my project set up very soon so an immediate response would be great. Thank you for your help.

Hi qwiebe_100,

I hope this reply hasn't come too late! I apologize that it has taken so long to get a reply. The nickel epoxy should work for this project. However, make sure you let the epoxy cure for as long as the directions say to let it cure. If epoxy hasn't cured completely, then it is much more likely to come off in the water. Some epoxies feel dry to the touch before they are fully cured, so make sure to let the epoxy cure for the entire recommended time, even if it feels "dry" when you touch it.