Poor Physycal Properties of Latex Gloves

Manufacturer: We are latex medical gloves manufacturers. We're having problems meeting our Q/C requirement of physical properties (i.e. Tensile Strength, Elongation at break and Modulus before and after oven ageing) of the finished gloves. Our investigation with the help of a research institute revealed that there's nothing wrong with our compounding, latex compound formulation and the oven curing conditions.

However the problem still persisted. Please advise us what could have been the cause or causes.

John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): Since you've positively ruled out the possibility of compounding, formulation and vulcanization as the possible causes, please look into the following points (Details have been removed at your request):

1) "occlusion" of foreign particles through contamination in either coagulant or latex or both. Good house keeping in both the factories of your latex producers and of your own must be ensured.

2) The strength of latex film could be negatively affected if the gloves are insufficiently dried and the moisture content of the gloves is too high.

3) Premature ageing due to excessive exposure to oven temperature especially when encountering some over-heated dead spots.

4) Poor leaching or over leaching with contaminated water.

5) Contaminated fillers at your suppliers' factories.

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