APPENDIX F

CHEMICAL DEGRADATION CHART
FOR COMMON GLOVE MATERIALS

MATERIAL TYPES | PHYSICAL PROPERTIES | DEGRADATION | PERMEATION

The Right Glove for the Job

The first step in choosing the right glove is determining your primary concern. Do you need protection from hazardous chemicals? Is dexterity crucial to your work? Is product protection of utmost importance? Different glove materials offer different kinds of protection. Neoprene provides chemical/oil resistance while nitrile adds abrasion resistance to that protection. Vinyl gives you economical flexibility as a natural rubber alternative. Natural rubber latex offers inherent elasticity and resiliency, plus the dexterity needed in food processing or pharmaceutical manufacturing. Because a materials suitability may be affected by either degradation or permeation, both factors must also be considered when selecting appropriate gloves. Degradation is the reduction in one or more of the physical properties of the material due to chemical contact. Exposed gloves may swell, get harder or softer, stiffen or weaken or become brittle. Permeation can occur even if there is no visible damage to the gloves being worn. Since there is usually no indication that a glove has been permeated, the person wearing gloves to handle hazardous chemicals can get a false sense of security. The selection of appropriate gloves and other pieces of Chemical Protective Clothing (CPC) is generally done after consulting one or more of the chemical degradation guides. This appendix contains three such guides:

1. The physical properties of several materials
2. The degradation properties of several materials
3. The permeation properties of several materials

The following list will help you understand the various glove related terms used in the guides.

• Natural Rubber
  
  A material (also called latex) that is inherently elastic and resilient, plus resists acids, alkalis, salts, and ketones. Natural rubber gloves are suited for food processing, electronics assembly, and laboratory chemical handling.
  
  
• Neoprene
  
  A synthetic rubber developed as an oil-resistant substitute for natural rubber. It also resists a broad range of chemicals. Neoprene gloves are used in petrochemical, degreasing and refining applications, and when handling acids, caustics, and chemical washing.
  
• Nitrile
  
  A synthetic rubber with superior puncture and abrasion resistance in addition to chemical protection. Nitrile gloves are suited for stripping and degreasing, as well as acid etching and chemical washing.
  
  
• PVC
  
  Also known as polyvinyl chloride or vinyl, PVC is a plastic material that resists acids and alcohols, but not petroleum products. Vinyl gloves are used for intricate assembly work, food processing, laboratory, research, and pharmaceutical menu.
  
• Viton
  
  A specialty fluoroelastomer which has excellent resistance to oils, fuels, lubricants, most mineral acids, hydraulic fluids, and aliphatic and aeromatic hydrocarbons.
  
• CPE
  
  This chlorinated polyethylene has increased resistance to oil, ozone, heat, and chemicals. It also provides low permeability to gases.
  
• Supported
  
  A supported glove has a fabric liner that is coated with a polymer. The liner is generally a knit, and can be palm-coated or fully coated. Supported gloves deliver more durable hand protection.
  
• Unsupported
  
  Refers to a glove produced by dipping a glove form directly into a compound, yielding a glove that is 100% compound. Unsupported gloves offer better tactile sensitivity and dexterity.

MATERIAL TYPES | PHYSICAL PROPERTIES | DEGRADATION | PERMEATION

RATING KEY
E=EXCELLENT	G=GOOD	F=FAIR	P=POOR

Ratings are subject to variation depending on formulation, thickness, and whether material is supported by fabric.

MATERIAL (DESIGNATED IN MATRICES)	ABRASION RESISTANCE	CUT RESISTANCE	FLEXIBILITY	HEAT RESISTANCE	OZONE RESISTANCE	PUNCTURE RESISTANCE	TEAR RESISTANCE	RELATIVE COST
Butyl Rubber (Butyl)	F	G	G	E	E	G	G	HIGH
Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE)	E	G	G	G	E	G	G	LOW
Natural Rubber	E	E	E	F	P	E	E	MEDIUM
Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR)	E	E	E	G	F	E	G	MEDIUM
Neoprene	E	E	G	G	E	G	G	MEDIUM
Nitrile Rubber (Nitrile)	E	E	E	G	F	E	G	MEDIUM
Nitrile Rubber + Polyvinyl Chloride (Nitrile + PVC)	G	G	G	F	E	G	G	MEDIUM
Polyethylene	F	F	G	F	F	P	F	LOW
Polyurethane	E	G	E	G	G	G	G	HIGH
Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)	F	F	P	G	E	F	G	VERY HIGH
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)	G	P	F	P	E	G	G	LOW
Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR)	E	G	G	G	F	F	F	LOW
Viton	G	G	G	G	E	G	G	VERY HIGH

MATERIAL TYPES | PHYSICAL PROPERTIES | DEGRADATION | PERMEATION

Degradation is the reduction in one or more of the physical properties of the material due to chemical contact. Exposed gloves may swell, get harder or softer, stiffen or weaken or become brittle. Degradation-resistance testing of gloves is important to assure worker safety, however, permeation-resistance testing is also essential.

Data shown are the result of laboratory tests and are intended to serve only as a guide. No performance warranty is intended or implied. The ratings were arrived at by visual and physical examination of samples after their exposure to the chemical stated.

When considering a glove for a specific application, it is important to consider other requirements such as thermal conditions, chemical concentration, physical hazards, and mixtures of chemicals. A glove should be tested in actual service before specification.

RATING KEY
E=EXCELLENT	G=GOOD	F=FAIR	P=POOR
(a) Aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons will attack all types of natural and synthetic glove material. Should swelling occur, the user should change to fresh gloves and allow the swollen gloves to dry and return to normal.		(b) No data on the resistance to dimethyl sulfoxide of natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile rubber, or vinyl materials are available; the manufacturer of the substance recommends the use of butyl rubber gloves.
The table was taken from Prudent Practices for Handling Chemicals in Laboratories,National Research Council, National academy Press Washington, D.C., P. 159-160 (1981)

Chemical	Natural Rubber	Neoprene	Nitrile	Vinyl
Acetaldehyde	G	G	E	G
Acetic acid	E	E	E	E
Acetone	G	G	G	F
Acrylonitrile	P	G	-	F
Ammonium hydroxide (conc.)	G	E	E	E
Aniline	F	G	E	F
Benzaldehyde	F	F	E	G
Benzene	P	F	G	F
Benzyl Chloride (a)	F	P	G	P
Bromine	G	G	-	G
Butane	P	E	-	P
Butyraldehyde	P	G	-	G
Calcium hypochlorite	P	G	G	G
Carbon disulfide	P	P	G	F
Carbon tetrachloride	P	F	G	F
Chlorine	G	G	-	G
Chloroacetone	F	E	-	P
Chloroform (a)	P	F	G	P
Chromic acid	P	F	F	E
Cyclohexane	F	E	-	P
Dibenzyl ether	F	G	-	P
Dibutyl phthalate	F	G	-	P
Diethanolamine	F	E	-	E
Diethyl ether	F	G	E	P
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (b)	-	-	-	-
Ethyl acetate	F	G	G	F
Ethylene dichloride (a)	P	F	G	P
Ethylene glycol	G	G	E	E
Ethylene trichloride (a)	P	P	-	P
Fluorine	G	G	-	G
Formaldehyde	G	E	E	E
Formic acid	G	E	E	E
Glycerol	G	G	E	E
Hexane	P	E	-	P
Hydrobromic acid (40%)	G	E	-	E
Hydrochloric acid (conc.)	G	G	G	E
Hydrofluoric acid (30%)	G	G	G	E
Hydrogen peroxide	G	G	G	E
Iodine	G	G	-	G
Methylamine	G	G	E	E
Methyl cellosolve	F	E	-	P
Methyl chloride (a)	P	E	-	P
Methylene chloride (a)	F	F	G	F
Methyl ethyl ketone	F	G	G	P
Monoethanolamine	F	E	-	E
Morpholine	F	E	-	E
Naphthalene (a)	G	G	E	G
Nitric acid (conc.)	P	P	P	G
Perchloric acid	F	G	F	E
Phenol	G	E	-	E
Phosphoric acid	G	E	-	E
Potassium hydroxide (sat.)	G	G	G	E
Propylene dichloride	P	F	-	P
Sodium hydroxide	G	G	G	E
Sodium hypochlorite	G	P	F	G
Sulfuric acid (conc.)	G	G	F	G
Toluene (a)	P	F	G	F
Trichloroethylene (a)	P	F	G	F
Tricresyl phosphate	P	F	-	F
Triethanolamine	F	E	E	E
Trinitrotoluene	P	E	-	P

MATERIAL TYPES | PHYSICAL PROPERTIES | DEGRADATION | PERMEATION

The Permeation Resistance Guide is a reference point for proper glove analysis in hazardous chemical handling. All test results were produced independently. Radian Corporation of Austin, Texas (an AIHA accredited laboratory) performed the permeation testing in accordance with ASTM Standard F739-81.

Each polymer is ranked according to breakthrough time as a reference for future testing by the end-user. Breakthrough time is the elapsed time between initial contact of an aqueous solution with the exterior surface of a glove and the time at which the solution can be detected on the internal surface.

Actual performance of a glove depends upon varied factors. Work application, chemical mix, chemical contact time, and glove thickness are just a few.

RATING KEY
R=ROUGH FINISH	S=SMOOTH FINISH	U=UNSUPPORTED	C=COATED

CHEMICAL	BEST	SECOND	THIRD
Acetaldehyde	Rubber/R	Rubber/S	Neoprene
Acetone	Rubber/R	Neoprene	-
Acetontrile	Neoprene	Rubber/R	PVC
Chlorine Gas	Nitrile/C Neoprene	PVC	-
Dibutylphthalate	Neoprene	Nitrile/C	-
Diethylamine	Rubber/R	Neoprene	PVC
Diethyl Ether	Nitrile/C	Neoprene	-
Dimethyl Formamide	Neoprene	Nitrile/C	Nitrile/U
Dioxane	PVC	Nitrile/C	Neoprene
Ethylene Dibromide	Neoprene	PVC	Nitrile/U
Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether (Ethoxyethanol)	Neoprene	Nitrile/C	Nitrile/U
Ethylene Oxide	Nitrile/U	-	-
Formaldehyde (37% in water)	Nitrile/C PVC Nitrile/U	-	-
N-Hexane	Neoprene	PVC	Nitrile/U
Iso Octane	Neoprene Nitrile/C Nitrile/U	PVC	Rubber/R
Methylene Chloride	PVC	Neoprene	Nitrile/C
Methyl Ethyl Ketone	Rubber/R	Rubber/S	-
N-Methyl-2 Pyrrolidone	Rubber/R	Neoprene	Rubber/S
N-Pentanol	Nitrile/C	Neoprene	PVC
Phenol (85% in water)	Neoprene	Nitrile/C	PVC
Styrene (Monomer)	PVC	Neoprene	Nitrile/C
Tetrahydrofuran	Nitrile/C	Neoprene	-
Trichloroethylene	Neoprene	PVC	Nitrile/U
Vinyl Chloride (Monomer)	Nitrile	-	-
Xylene	PVC	Neoprene	Nitrile/C