Safety gloves do not protect you from every chemical or dangerous substance. The glove deteriorates and makes it easier for chemicals to penetrate through and onto the skin. One way to tackle this problem is by implementing a self-healing material, which can be used for rubber gloves.
Researchers at the Central Institute for Labour Protection in Poland tested polyamide, cotton–polyamide, and cotton fabrics, onto methyl vinyl silicone rubber containing inorganic silsesquioxane, which are used for rubber gloves. Its resistance to chemical substances, abrasions, and punctures were analyzed. Using SEM, the surface is observed for any damages or self-healing behaviour for each rubber material containing each type of fabric.
A cross-section of a rubber material with textile reinforcements (Source: Irzmańska)
A test to determine the resistance of chemical substance with methyl vinyl silicone rubber with silsesquioxanes, and one coated with cotton was carried by using 2-propanol. This studied the breakthrough time of the 2-propanol through the 2 different materials at various conditioning times. The idea is to simulate the effectiveness of the self-healing mechanism.
Permeation times of 2-propanol into 2 different materials (Adapted: Irzmańska)
The data shows an increase in permeation time when coated with cotton, and when conditioned at 70 degrees Celsius for 24, 48, 72 hours. This means coating the material with textile reinforcements increases the resistance of chemical substances from penetrating. A similar trend was obtained when testing different textile compositions through puncture and abrasion tests.
The result concludes the effectiveness of the textile reinforcement in the self-healing process, qualitatively and quantitatively. This study brought improvements to lessen the stress chemists have on the quality of their own safety gloves. Safety gloves should never be a safety concern.
-Wilson Wong
