Chemical resistance and structural integrity of protective glove materials

Abstract

Liquid‐proof gloves are a critical component of protective clothing for workers who handle toxic liquid chemicals. Gloves must exhibit chemical barrier characteristics, physical, and chemical integrity and not hinder dexterity. Selection of chemical protective gloves presents intricate problems because many parameters are involved. Chemical permeation tests provide the most rigorous of all chemical resistance tests and measure the diffusion of chemical vapor on a molecular level, but do not adequately take degradation of the material into account. When liquid‐splash protection is the main concern, hazards from vapor contact are minimum, and prolonged contact of a gloved hand with the chemical is expected; liquid‐penetration testing is a viable method of screening glove materials. However, physical integrity and chemical‐degradation resistance in conjunction with chemical penetration‐resistance testing provides a clearer picture of the performance of glove materials.