Effects of Sweat and 3D-deformation on the Mechanical Behaviour of Nitrile Rubber Gloves

Abstract

Research has proven that mechanical deformations (MD) caused by hand flexing affect the structure of disposable protective gloves. However, these studies do not consider the presence of a physiological solution such as sweat. The combination of mechanical constraints and sweat might modify the mechanical and physical properties of the protective gloves and therefor their effectiveness. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the combined effects of human sweat and MDs on certain physical and mechanical phenomena that could affect the structure of nitrile rubber protective gloves. The strain energy, crystallinity, swelling and glove surface profile were investigated. Combined with MDs, the physiological solution significantly affects the structure of the gloves. Contact of the glove sample with the physiological solution modified the strain energy and induced a swelling that modified mechanical properties. Also, the deformation frequency greatly affected the strain energy and the number of deformations changed the degree of crystallinity. A qualitative analysis by SEM showed the deterioration of the surface of the gloves in contact with skin. Based on these results, further investigation is needed on the overall effect of sweat on the effectiveness of protective gloves against mechanical and chemical hazards.

Comparative evaluation of oil resistance, dielectric properties, AC conductivity, and transport properties of nitrile rubber and chlorinated nitrile rubber

“…To this solution, CHCl 3 (30 mL) and 60% NaOH (40 mL) solution were added and stirred continuously for 4, 8, 12, and 24 h to get 15, 18, 22, and 24% of Cl-NBR, respectively. The reaction product was separated from the solution at different time intervals (4,8,12, and 24 h) and washed with hot water and cold water until free of chlorine. The product was coagulated with isopropyl alcohol and dried in a vacuum temperature at 70 C.…”

“…However, due to environmental concern, fuel injected automobiles are used where NBR is no longer satisfactory due to the poor resistance to oxidation, 'sour gasoline' permeation, and low tensile strength. 4 This is because, being an unsaturated elastomer, NBR is most vulnerable to deterioration which explored the possibility of chemical modification via the reduction of double bonds to improve its long-term stability and operational properties. [5][6][7][8] Chemical modification can be achieved through several methods like hydrogenation, halogenations, cyclization, and so on, as evidenced by a number of citations on this subject.…”