Latex
Natural rubber latex is a milky sap-like substance produced by the rubber tree called Hevea brasiliensis, found in Southeast Asia, India and South America. When the trunks of these rubber trees are tapped, they produce latex. This latex is then collected and used in manufacturing.
Latex gloves are a good all round glove for everyday tasks that require a high degree of feel and sensitivity. The popularity of latex gloves stems from a good overall strength, they are generally favoured for their tactile properties and resistance to a wide range of chemical solutions.
- Great strength and sensitivity
- Good chemical resistance
- Textured fingers offer excellent grip
Some people are allergic to Latex-find out why?
Nitrile
NBR is Nitrile Butadiene Rubber. The uses of nitrile rubber include disposable non-latex gloves, automotive transmission belts, hoses, O rings, gaskets, oil seals, V belts, synthetic leather, printer’s roller, and as cable jacketing; NBR latex can also be used in the preparation of adhesives and as a pigment binder.
Nitrile gloves are 3 three times stronger and puncture resistant than natural rubber gloves.
- Nitrile provides a stronger barrier of protection and offers greater chemical resistance
- Have a lower resistance to friction, making them easier to put on and take off your hands
- Do not contain any natural rubber latex, so they can be used by anyone with latex allergies
- Even though they are disposable, nirtile gloves can usually be worn more than once because of their superior puncture and tear resistance
- For countless industries, nitrile gloves are an ideal choice because they can offer numerous more benefits than either latex or vinyl for many applications.
Glove Chart
| Type | Advantages | Disadvantages | For Protection Against |
| Natural rubber | Low cost, good physical properties, dexterity | Poor vs. oils, greases, organics. Frequently imported; may be poor quality | Bases, alcohols, dilute water solutions; fair vs. aldehydes, ketones. |
| Natural rubber blends | Low cost, dexterity, better chemical resistance than natural rubber vs. some chemicals | Physical properties frequently inferior to natural rubber | Same as natural rubber |
| Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) | Low cost, very good physical properties, medium cost, medium chemical resistance | Plasticizers can be stripped; frequently imported may be poor quality | Strong acids and bases, salts, other water solutions, alcohols |
| Neoprene | Medium cost, medium chemical resistance, medium physical properties | NA | Oxidizing acids, anilines, phenol, glycol ethers |
| Nitrile | Low cost, excellent physical properties, dexterity | Poor vs. benzene, methylene chloride, trichloroethylene, many ketones | Oils, greases, aliphatic chemicals, xylene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethane; fair vs. toluene |
| Butyl | Speciality glove, polar organics | Expensive, poor vs. hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents | Glycol ethers, ketones, esters |
| Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) | Specialty glove, resists a very broad range of organics, good physical properties | Very expensive, water sensitive, poor vs. light alcohols | Aliphatics, aromatics, chlorinated solvents, ketones (except acetone), esters, ethers |
| Fluoro- elastomer (Viton) ™ * | Specialty glove, organic solvents | Extremely expensive, poor physical properties, poor vs. some ketones, esters, amines | Aromatics, chlorinated solvents, also aliphatics and alcohols |
| Norfoil (Silver Shield) | Excellent chemical resistance | Poor fit, easily punctures, poor grip, stiff | Use for Hazmat work |
*Trademark of DuPont Dow Elastomers
Glove Type and Chemical Use
| *Limited service | VG= Very Good | G= Good | F=Fair | P=Poor (not recommended) |
| Chemical | Neoprene | Natural Latex or Rubber |
Butyl | Nitrile Latex |
| *Acetaldehyde | VG | G | VG | G |
| Acetic acid | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| *Acetone | G | VG | VG | P |
| Ammonium hydroxide | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| *Amyl acetate | F | P | F | P |
| Aniline | G | F | F | P |
| *Benzaldehyde | F | F | G | G |
| *Benzene | F | F | F | P |
| Butyl acetate | G | F | F | P |
| Butyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Carbon disulfide | F | F | F | F |
| *Carbon tetrachloride | F | P | P | G |
| Castor oil | F | P | F | VG |
| *Chlorobenzene | F | P | F | P |
| *Chloroform | G | P | P | P |
| Chloronaphthalene | F | P | F | F |
| Chromic Acid (50%) | F | P | F | F |
| Citric acid (10%) | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Cyclohexanol | G | F | G | VG |
| *Dibutyl phthalate | G | P | G | G |
| Diesel fuel | G | P | P | VG |
| Diisobutyl ketone | P | F | G | P |
| Dimethylformamide | F | F | G | G |
| Dioctyl phthalate | G | P | F | VG |
| Dioxane | VG | G | G | G |
| Epoxy resins, dry | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| *Ethyl acetate | G | F | G | F |
| Ethyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Ethyl ether | VG | G | VG | G |
| *Ethylene dichloride | F | P | F | P |
| Ethylene glycol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Formaldehyde | VG | VG | VG | VG |
Chemical |
Neoprene |
Natural Latex or Rubber |
Butyl |
Nitrile |
| Formic acid | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Freon 11 | G | P | F | G |
| Freon 12 | G | P | F | G |
| Freon 21 | G | P | F | G |
| Freon 22 | G | P | F | G |
| *Furfural | G | G | G | G |
| Gasoline, leaded | G | P | F | VG |
| Gasoline, unleaded | G | P | F | VG |
| Glycerine | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Hexane | F | P | P | G |
| Hydrochloric acid | VG | G | G | G |
| Hydrofluoric acid (48%) | VG | G | G | G |
| Hydrogen peroxide (30%) | G | G | G | G |
| Hydroquinone | G | G | G | F |
| Isooctane | F | P | P | VG |
| Isopropyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Kerosene | VG | F | F | VG |
| Ketones | G | VG | VG | P |
| Lacquer thinners | G | F | F | P |
| Lactic acid (85%) | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Lauric acid (36%) | VG | F | VG | VG |
| Lineoleic acid | VG | P | F | G |
| Linseed oil | VG | P | F | VG |
| Maleic acid | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Methyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Methylamine | F | F | G | G |
| Methyl bromide | G | F | G | F |
| *Methyl chloride | P | P | P | P |
| *Methyl ethyl ketone | G | G | VG | P |
| *Methyl isobutyl ketone | F | F | VG | P |
| Methyl methacrylate | G | G | VG | F |
| Monoethanolamine | VG | G | VG | VG |
| Morpholine | VG | VG | VG | G |
Chemical |
Neoprene |
Natural Latex or Rubber |
Butyl |
Nitrile |
| Naphthalene | G | F | F | G |
| Naphthas, aliphatic | VG | F | F | VG |
| Naphthas, aromatic | G | P | P | G |
| *Nitric acid | G | F | F | F |
| Nitromethane (95.5%) | F | P | F | F |
| Nitropropane (95.5%) | F | P | F | F |
| Octyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Oleic acid | VG | F | G | VG |
| Oxalic acid | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Palmitic acid | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Perchloric acid (60%) | VG | F | G | G |
| Perchloroethylene | F | P | P | G |
| Petroleum distillates (naphtha) | G | P | P | VG |
| Phenol | VG | F | G | F |
| Phosphoric acid | VG | G | VG | VG |
| Potassium hydroxide | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Propyl acetate | G | F | G | F |
| Propyl alcohol | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Propyl alcohol (iso) | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Sodium hydroxide | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Styrene | P | P | P | F |
| Stryene (100%) | P | P | P | F |
| Sulfuric acid | G | G | G | G |
| Tannic acid (65%) | VG | VG | VG | VG |
| Tetrahydrofuran | P | F | F | F |
| *Toluene | F | P | P | F |
| Toluene diisocyanate | F | G | G | F |
| *Trichloroethylene | F | F | P | G |
| Triethanolamine | VG | G | G | VG |
| Tung oil | VG | P | F | VG |
| Turpentine | G | F | F | VG |
| *Xylene | P | P | P | F |
| *Limited service | VG= Very Good | G= Good | F=Fair | P=Poor (not recommended) |
Reference: Ansell Chemical Resistance Guide, 7th edition
Reviewed April 25, 2013
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