In article .com,
Eli Luong wrote:
Hi,

I'm on a design team, which is an undergraduate course at my
university. We are currently developing a surgical stapler and require
an adhesive with certain properties. The adhesive will be bonding
either titanium or stainless steel staples to whatever standard
material most medical devices are made of. The adhesive must be
temporary because the staples will be mounted onto this flap that is
inside the stapler and the adhesive needs to keep the staples in place.
After being stapled, however, the staples will fire out and the flaps
will be retracted, and the adhesive should be able to somewhat easily
detach the flap from the staples. Biocompatibility and biodegradability
would be a plus, but we need to find an adhesive first. I'm wondering
if anyone knows of an adhesive like this.

Rubber cement.

(comment for the regulars here -- get your mind out of the gutter!)