Bioadhesives are biocompatible glues designed to adhere to biological tissue like skin or cells. Because they are biocompatible, they are non-toxic and will not cause and immune response, irritation, or allergic reaction. They can bond with wet or slippery tissues, and they produce no heat. Bioadhesives set quickly and are less invasive than suturing. WPI’s KWIK-SIL and KWIK-CAST are two popular bioadhesives.

The properties of WPI’s KWIK-SIL and KWiK-CAST biocompatible surgical adhesives make them exceptionally useful for neuroscience applications, peripheral nerve studies and similar biomedical applications. You have the option of getting a non-sterile or a sterile version of either silicone adhesive. These silicone elastomers come with pre-mixing tips, eliminating the mess and saving time. Each silicone elastomer is packaged in a double barrel syringe and is automatically mixed when pressed out of the mixer tip provided. It can then be applied directly to the tissue without further mixing. The curing time of these silicone adhesives is short, reliable and reproducible. This eliminates potential costly guesswork when using other tissue adhesives. The curing process does not produce any heat, which can cause tissue damage. WPI's silicone elastomers are much less toxic than dental silicone, because they contain no surfactant additives. Check out all the citations.

KWIK-SIL™ and KWIK-CAST™ are based on silicone technology using vinyl-terminated siloxane and platinum complex catalysts. To enable reliable room-temperature curing, these formulations use specialized cross-linkers and a high catalyst concentration. While this makes them more costly than traditional RTV silicones and less suited for general-purpose use, it delivers excellent value for biological research applications where low toxicity, reproducible curing, and dependable performance are critical.

These properties make KWIK-SIL™ and KWIK-CAST™ especially well suited for:

  • Neuroscience and nerve studies
  • Biomedical applications

KWIK-SIL or KWIK-CAST

Our KWIK-SIL™ and KWIK-CAST™ silicone adhesives are individually packaged in dual-barrel syringes with five mixing tips for clean, efficient application. These biocompatible, low-toxicity adhesives are ideal for sealing live tissues in neuroscience and biomedical research.

Kwik-Sil-Kwik-Cast

Choosing the Right Silicone Adhesive Depends on Your Application

Kwik-Sil™ (Best for Chronic Studies)

Kwik-Sil™ is a translucent, medium-viscosity silicone adhesive designed for long-term stability. It provides strong adhesion with excellent mechanical properties (tear strength and elongation), allowing reliable bonding over multiple days without failure. This makes it ideal for chronic peripheral nerve studies, including anterograde tracing with fluorescent indicators and long-term electrode recordings. Its curing speed is fast, consistent, and highly reproducible, supporting repeatable experimental conditions.

Kwik-Cast™ (Best for Acute Recordings)

Kwik-Cast™ is a very low-viscosity silicone sealant engineered for acute, high-precision applications. It flows easily into small spaces, fully encapsulating nerves and electrodes to eliminate fluid pathways that could interfere with signal integrity. The material self-levels to form a continuous seal from beneath to above the nerve/electrode interface, ensuring stable recordings. It can be applied under mineral oil, and electrodes are easily recovered due to its low tear strength. Kwik-Cast™ features color-coded mixing (yellow catalyst + blue base = green) and a slightly longer cure time (approximately 3 minutes), making it well-suited for stationary preparations and in vitro tissue studies.

Shared Benefits

  • Low-toxicity, biocompatible silicone adhesives for live tissue applications
  • Rapid cure time with no heat generation (protects sensitive tissue)
  • Easy-to-use syringe system with pre-mixing tips
  • Visual confirmation of placement (Kwik-Sil™ dries clear; Kwik-Cast™ dries green)

Whether your work requires long-term stability or precise acute recordings, KWIK-SIL™ and KWIK-CAST™ provide reliable performance for demanding neuroscience applications.

Mixing Tips

The custom mixing tips ensure proper mixing of the 2-part elastomeres, and they eliminate the mess of mixing by hand. These tips are engineered to eliminate any leaking. The tips are keyed to the syringe, and with a 90º twist, they lock securely in place.

Sterile Options

The newly available sterile KWIK-SIL and KWIK-CAST adhesives are ideal for both short-term and long-term studies, where sterility and biocompatibility in a surgical adhesive is required. These KWIK-SIL and KWIK-CAST formulas are sterilized under specialized conditions, that have demonstrated robust sterilization, not available in most research facilities. Sterile silicone adhesives maintain the same cure time and properties that researchers know and love from WPI’s KWIK-SIL and KWIK-CAST products. The double barrel syringe and all five mixing tips are individually packaged and sterilized.

Benefits of WPI KWIK Adhesives

  • Low toxicity surgical adhesive is ideal for neuroscience and biological applications in animal research
  • Rapid cure time
  • Adheres to organic and inorganic surfaces
  • Cures without producing heat
  • Ease of use with pre-mixing tips
  • 6-Month shelf life
  • Sterile and non-sterile versions available

KWIK Family of Products

  • kwik-sil-lab

    KWIK-SIL

    Excellent silicone adhesive for living tissue because it is non-toxic, fast curing and able to adhere to organic and inorganic surfaces.

    IDEAL FOR

    • Neuroscience
    • Biomedical

    APPLICATIONS

    • Chronic peripheral nerves such as anterograde tracing with fluorescent indicators or electrode recording
    • Nerve studies
    • Biomedical applications

    MARKET

    • Academic Core Facilities
    • Industry & CRO Research
    • Biotechnology
    • Pharmaceutical
    special pricing
  • kwik-cast-lab

    KWIK-CAST

    Color coded silicone adhesive allows you to see when it is properly mixed and where it is applied. The low viscosity adhesive lets it fill all the gaps.

    IDEAL FOR

    • Neuroscience
    • Biomedical

    APPLICATIONS

    • Embedded peripheral nerve studies with electrodes for acute multi-fiber recordings
    • Nerve studies
    • Biomedical applications

    MARKET

    • Academic Core Facilities
    • Industry & CRO Research
    • Biotechnology
    • Pharmaceutical
    special pricing
  • kwik-sil-s-lab

    STERILE KWIK-SIL-S

    This is the sterile version of the popular KWIK-SIL. With medium viscosity and a rapid cure time, it is also non-toxic, making it ideal for living tissues.

    IDEAL FOR

    • Neuroscience
    • Biomedical

    APPLICATIONS

    • Cell attachment
    • Cell expansion
    • Serum-free culture
    • Cancer research

    MARKET

    • Academic Core Facilities
    • Industry & CRO Research
    • Biotechnology
    • Pharmaceutical
    special pricing
  • kwik-cast-s-lab

    STERILE KWIK-CAST-S

    Excellent silicone adhesive for living tissue because it is non-toxic, fast curing and able to adhere to organic and inorganic surfaces.

    IDEAL FOR

    • Neuroscience
    • Biomedical

    APPLICATIONS

    • Chronic peripheral nerves such as anterograde tracing with fluorescent indicators or electrode recording
    • Nerve studies
    • Biomedical applications

    MARKET

    • Academic Core Facilities
    • Industry & CRO Research
    • Biotechnology
    • Pharmaceutical
    special pricing

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