Chemical Protective Gloves with Enhanced Properties

"METSS intends to develop both a material and a process for producing Chemical Warfare (CW) agent resistant gloves by using a nonsolvent dipping process. The gloves to be developed will have CW agent resistance at least equivalent to those of the currentbutyl gloves, but also will have improved resistance to petroleum-based solvents. Moreover, through the addition and dispersion of exfoliated nanoclays in the elastomer, the gloves will provide an improved level of fire retardance not present in thecurrent gloves. METSS anticipates that the gloves will be made by dipping from an aqueous polyurethane emulsion, or by Liquid Injection Molding of a polyurethane formulation. Development of the specific molecular composition of the polyurethane to meetboth the performance requirements and processing requirements form the core of the proposed program. Dipping of an aqueous emulsion has obvious advantages in being compatible with existing glove manufacturing and being environmentally benign. LiquidInjection Molding offers the potential for faster production rates and, because the molds are generally inexpensive, the opportunity for greater competition among more suppliers in making the gloves. Both processes represent an opportunity for costsavings relative to the solvent-dipped, butyl gloves. Gloves developed in this program will provide substantially more protection to military workers involved in areas contaminated by CW agents than