GENERAL PURPOSE AND CUT RESISTANT GLOVE MATERIALS

HPPE– HPPE was developed by DSM as a multipurpose high performance polyethylene fiber. It has excellent 
abrasion and cut resistance, being up to 15 times stronger than steel (weight for weight). It is cool to the touch and comfortable
to wear and also launders well.

 

Polyester/Cotton – Poly/cotton blends are commonly used in string knit gloves because of their comfort, durability and 
excellent laundering characteristics. By mixing polyester with cotton, shrinkage can be minimized.

 

Nylon – Certain nylons have a high resistance to abrasion and provide a synthetic string-knit glove that is lint free. Shrinkage 
in nylon gloves is minimal and more uniform than in cotton, so nylon launders very well. Nylon is the material of choice
for finer 13 and 15 gauge knitted gloves.

 

Stainless Steel Mesh – A mesh of individually welded stainless steel rings provides the best cut protection of any glove material.

 

Leather – Leather is a traditional material for gloves that is waning in popularity, but still has applications in general industry
due to it’s relative low cost, abrasion resistance, and ability to withstand high temperatures and hazards such as weld spatter. 
There are many different types and grades of leather available, and care is needed to ensure the desired level of performance
is achieved.

Nitrile (NBR) – Nitrile can be applied to knit and cut-and-sewn gloves using several methods, including screen printing, foam 
coating and dipping.It offers good mechanical properties (resistance to abrasion, cuts, tears and punctures) and yet is soft and 
flexible so that gloves do not feel stiff. Grip is also good and can be enhanced further by air-infusing (foaming) the nitrile during dipping.
This creates an open surface texture and greater surface area which improves grip on wet or oily objects. Nitrile is also
a good choice in high heat applications because it does not melt at high temperatures,which could create product contamination issues (for example, in an application such as auto-glass manufacture).

 

Polyurethane (PU) – Polyurethane is the toughest of the popular coating polymers, with the best resistance to abrasion, cuts,
tears and punctures. This makes it highly suitable for cut resistant gloves, where its mechanical properties compliment those 
of the high performance fibers used in those kinds of gloves. Also, because it’s tough, coatings can be made thinner than with
other polymers, yet still provide comparable levels of protection. This makes it a good choice for applications such as fine 
assembly work where a high level of tactility (feel) is important.  

 

Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) – PVC has been a popular choice for inexpensive dipped supported gloves for decades. In more 
recent years it has emerged as an attractive option for palm coated dipped gloves. Applied as an air infused (foamed) coating,
it offers exceptional wet and dry grip as well as mechanical properties that rival nitrile and polyurethane.

 

MicroFinish Nitrile – MicroFinish is a revolutionary, high grip glove finish. It is a two stage process that coats the glove 
in a liquid-proof nitrile layer, followed by a second nitrile layer that is textured with thousands of microscopic pockets that 
clear oil and other liquids from a surface and enable a sure and confident grip. MicroFinish outperforms foamed finishes in
terms of grip, and being a nitrile, it also provides good resistance to abrasion,cuts, tears and punctures.

 

Natural Rubber (Latex) – Natural rubber has been a popular glove coating material for many years. Normally supplied 
with a “crinkle” finish, it provides a thicker than average coating that offers good grip and mechanical protection. Natural 
rubber latex can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Dipped Gloves are made by dipping a hand shaped form (with or without a liner) into a tank, or successive tanks of polymer in 
Liquid form. There are two basic types of process:

 

Latex dipping – This is a water based process. The dipping polymer is in solution with water. This process is used for over 
95% of all un-supported gloves produced around the world and is a fast process, done on a large scale. Latex dipped gloves 
(typically nitrile, natural rubber and PVC) are produced quickly and economically, and usually in a single dip.

 

GLOVES COATING MATERIALS

Coating materials include natural rubber or latex, synthetic rubber, and plastics.

1. Natural Rubber
2. Synthetic Rubber
Chloroprene (Neoprene)   /   Nitrile rubber   /   Butyl and Viton®-butyl
3. Plastics
 Polyurethane  /   Polyvinyl chloride

 

Natural  Rubber also known as Latex is found in nature in over 200 plants, but its most common source is the Hevea Brasiliensis tree. Natural rubber dispersed in water is known as latex. Natural rubber has a very high elasticity compared to other glove materials, excellent cut and tear resistance, and outstanding grip and temperature resistance. While it is flexible and durable over a wide range of temperature, -18 to 149°C (0 to 300°F), it has poor flame resistance. In general, natural rubber withstands water, alcohols, and some ketones, but has poor chemical resistance against most hydrocarbon and organic solvents. Natural rubber can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

 

Nitrile Rubber  is a co-polymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene. Nitrile rubber offers excellent physical hazards resistance to punctures, cuts, snags, and abrasion. While it is not flame-resistant, it demonstrates functional performance in temperatures ranging from -4 to 149°C (25 to 300°F). Nitrile rubber has considerable resistance to oils, fuels, and certain organic solvents. It is commonly used as a coating for dipped gloves and also in the construction of laminated and impregnated, cut and sewn gloves.

 

Polyurethane (PU)  is a thermoplastic polymer of urethane. Polyurethane provides good abrasion resistance and tensile strength. Polyurethane offers good resistance to oils, some organic solvents, oxidation and ozone. It has poor resistance to hot water and is not recommended for use above 79°C (175°F). Polyurethane has a very low particulate shed, thus making it a good choice for cleanroom gloves. Polyurethane is also used in some specialty application styles and as a waterproof liner for gloves.

 

                                             

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a synthetic thermoplastic polymer of vinyl chloride. PVC offers good abrasion resistance but may be susceptible to punctures, cuts, and snags. While it is flexible, it does not provide the tactile sensitivity associated with most rubber products. PVC starts to soften at approximately 82°C (180°F). PVC is effective against water and most aqueous solutions, detergents, and diluted bases and acids. It only has limited chemical resistance to organic solvents. PVC is one of the more common coatings for coated work gloves.