Bonding by Hydroxide-Catalyzed Hydration and Dehydration

A simple, inexpensive method for bonding solid objects exploits hydroxidecatalyzed hydration and dehydration to form silicatelike networks in thin surface and interfacial layers between the objects. (Silicatelike networks are chemical-bond networks similar to, but looser than, those of bulk silica). The method can be practiced at room temperature or over a wide range of temperatures.