Mechanism of Leaching

Manufacturer: Those who were lucky enough to have attended your training had informed me that you have a unique explanation for the mechanism of leaching of latex dipped products. Can you please elaborate?

John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): To me, leaching mechanism involves 7 steps, namely capillarity, dissolution of hydrophilic materials, migration via semi-permeable membrane, formation of concentration gradient, osmosis, swelling and diffusion. Also, there are a differences between wet leaching and dry leaching and between hot and cold leaching. My training therefore includes explanation of all these factors. Whether my approach is unique or not, I'd leave it to my trainees to decide.