Permeation of chemicals through glove-box glove materials

摘要

The resistance of two commercial gloves to 20 chemicals commonly used in glove boxes was studied. The chemicals were inorganic acids/bases/salts, organic acids, alcohols, glycols, halogen compounds, sulfur compounds, and hydrocarbons. The ASTM cell was used to study permeation of volatile organic compounds through protective clothing materials using air, flame ionization detector/gas chromatography; a modified version of the cell was used with isopropanol for the nonvolatile organic compounds. Permeation of inorganic compounds through the elastomers was studied using the ASTM cell with water, conductivity meter. A Teflon cell was used with HF and ammonium hydrofluoride. Results: Hypalon protects against all chemicals except trichloroethylene (TCE) and CCl(sub 4). Acetic acid and ethanol permeated through neoprene, which also did not protect against TCE and CCl(sub 4). Sulfuric acid dissolved neoprene in 5 h. Kerosene permeated through neoprene in 5 h. Although neoprene showed good resistance to cutting oil, TCE in cutting oil broke through in 61 min. Neoprene showed good protection against all the other chemicals with no breakthrough before 6 h.