Powderless Coating Polymer for Medical Gloves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical gloves made from acrylate and urethane-based polymers suffer from surface coating flaking, skin adhesion issues due to moisture sensitivity, and inability to maintain skin health during long wear times, leading to complications and failure to meet medical standards.
Innovation Solution
A powder-free coating polymer comprising a latex polymer with a diene and acrylic acid, combined with zinc oxide and a cross-linking agent, which is applied through emulsion polymerization to create a glove that prevents skin adhesion and maintains skin health by controlling pH and promoting sulfur cross-linking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If acrylate and urethane based coating materials are used for medical gloves, then the gloves have high modulus and structural integrity, but the surface coating flakes off when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the coating material from conventional acrylate/urethane polymers to a specifically formulated latex polymer containing diene and acrylic acid components. This parameter change in polymer composition enables the coating to maintain high modulus while achieving superior adhesion to the glove substrate, eliminating the flaking problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite latex polymer system comprising multiple components (diene, acrylic acid, and their copolymers) rather than a single polymer type. This composite approach combines the benefits of different polymer structures to achieve both mechanical strength and adhesion properties that individual polymers cannot provide alone.
2Reliability
If existing coating materials are used for medical gloves, then the gloves provide basic protection, but they are sensitive to moisture causing skin adhesion and difficulty in wearing and removing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the surface properties of the glove coating by using a latex polymer with specific chemical composition (diene and acrylic acid) that alters the interaction between the glove surface and skin. This parameter change in material composition reduces moisture sensitivity and prevents skin adhesion, making the gloves easier to wear and remove while maintaining protective function.
3Ease of operation
If talcum powders or corn flours are added to prevent skin adhesion, then the gloves are easier to wear and remove, but the powders may fall onto wounds causing complications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for external powder additives (talcum or corn flour) by incorporating moisture-resistant properties directly into the coating polymer itself. The latex polymer formulation inherently prevents skin adhesion through its chemical composition, removing the harmful powders from the system while maintaining ease of wearing and removing.
Solution Approach 2:
The latex polymer coating acts as an intermediary layer between the glove and the user's skin, providing a interface that prevents direct adhesion. This intermediary coating with specific chemical properties (diene and acrylic acid components) creates a barrier that allows easy donning and doffing without requiring external powders, thereby preventing wound contamination.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the gloves have high water and moisture absorption properties to maintain dryness, then skin health is improved, but excessive absorption may cause excessive dryness and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the water and moisture absorption parameters of the coating material by carefully selecting and formulating the latex polymer components. The diene and acrylic acid content in the latex polymer provides controlled absorption capability that maintains skin health during long wear times without causing excessive dryness, achieving a balanced parameter setting.
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 solution provides a durable, non-flaking, and moisture-resistant glove that reduces skin adhesion, maintains skin health, and meets commercial standards for tensile strength, friction coefficients, and water absorption, ensuring comfortable wear and effective bacterial prevention.
Implementation Method 1
the cross-linking agent may be an accelerator that will promote sulphur crosslinking
Implementation Method 2
the metal oxide may be zinc oxide... a pH regulator may be added so as to control the pH value within 10.00 to 12.00
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a powder-free polymeric coating comprising a latex polymer, a metal oxide and a cross-linking agent, the latex polymer comprising a diene and an acrylic acid; and a powder-free glove comprising the powderless coating polymer.