Accelerator-Free Nitrile Rubber Gloves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Nitrile rubber gloves made from acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) are stiff and lack flexibility, making them unsuitable for surgical and examination gloves that require both protection and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A latex formulation comprising carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polyethylene oxide, a crosslinker mixture of metal-based compounds, polyethylene glycol, hydroxide salts, and water, which eliminates the need for accelerators and sulfur, resulting in a softer and more flexible nitrile rubber article with enhanced tensile strength and elongation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If nitrile rubber (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) is used to produce gloves, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but flexibility and softness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the nitrile rubber formulation by incorporating specific additives and modifying the polymer composition. This transforms the physical properties of the final product, achieving both cost-effectiveness and flexibility simultaneously through parameter optimization rather than material substitution
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite rubber formulation by combining nitrile rubber with other polymer components and functional additives. This composite approach maintains the cost advantages of nitrile rubber while introducing flexible segments from other polymers, resolving the contradiction between cost and flexibility
2Reliability
If nitrile rubber gloves are made thicker to provide protection, then protection capability is improved, but flexibility and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the rheological and mechanical parameters of the rubber compound through additive formulation. This enables the production of thinner gloves that maintain adequate protection while achieving superior flexibility, eliminating the need to increase thickness for protection
3Strength
If conventional sulfur-vulcanized nitrile rubber is used, then crosslinking strength is improved, but stiffness increases and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the crosslinking mechanism from conventional sulfur-vulcanization to an alternative system using different chemical agents and conditions. This parameter change in the crosslinking process produces a different network structure that provides adequate strength while maintaining flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes the conventional sulfur crosslinking mechanism with an alternative chemical crosslinking system. This replacement of the crosslinking chemistry produces a rubber network with different mechanical properties, achieving strength without the stiffness associated with traditional sulfur vulcanization
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation produces elastomeric gloves with improved softness and flexibility, maintaining mechanical properties before and after aging, with tensile strength ranging from 14 MPa to 40 MPa and elongation at break between 500% to 1000%, suitable for both examination and surgical gloves.
Implementation Method 1
the crosslinker is an admixture of a) metal-based compound, wherein the metal-based compound is a trivalent metal-based compound, b) polyethylene glycol or derivatives of polyethylene glycol, wherein the polyethylene glycol or derivatives of polyethylene glycol having molecular weight ranging in between 33.2 x10^-26 characterized in that the latex formulation includes polyethylene oxide or derivatives of polyethylene oxide, wherein the polyethylene oxide or derivatives of polyethylene oxide having molecular weight ranging in between 33.2 x10^-24
Implementation Method 2
the crosslinker is an admixture of a) metal-based compound, wherein the metal-based compound is a trivalent metal-based compound
Implementation Method 3
maintaining mechanical properties before and after aging, with tensile strength ranging from 14 MPa to 40 MPa and elongation at break between 500% to 1000%
Data Source
AI summary
A latex formulation for preparing an accelerator-free nitrile rubber article comprising a mixture of at least one base polymer, a crosslinker, and a pH adjuster, wherein the crosslinker is an admixture of metal-based compound, wherein the metal-based compound is a trivalent metal-based compound, polyethylene glycol or derivatives of polyethylene glycol, wherein the polyethylene glycol or derivatives of polyethylene glycol have molecular weight ranging in between 200 Da to 20 000 Da, hydroxide salts, wherein the hydroxide salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide or mixtures thereof, and water, where the latex formulation includes polyethylene oxide, wherein the polyethylene oxide having molecular weight ranging in between 20 kDa to 1000 kDa.