Gloves - Tables of Properties and Resistances

 

General Glove Properties

Glove Cost General Chemical Resistance Recommended Uses Disadvantages
Latex low decent for dilute inorganic solutions bases, alcohols, dilute water solutions, okay with aldehydes and ketones poor for most organics
Polyvinyl Chloride low medium general resistance strong acids and bases, salts, alcohols, amines, peroxides, water solutions plasticizers my be stripped, poor for most organics
Nitrile low some organics oils, greases, aliphatic chemicals, xylene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethane, toluene, some acids and bases, some biohazardous materials not good with many ketones, benzene, methylene chloride, and trichloroethane
Neoprene medium medium general resistance oxidizing acids, peroxides, hydrocarbons, alcohol, anilines, phenol, glycol, ethers not good with many chlorinated solvents, esters, ketones, aromatics
Viton extremely high organic solvents aromatics, chlorinated solvents, aliphatics and alcohols poor physical properties, not good with some ketones, esters and amines
Butyl high polar organics glycol ethers, ketones, esters not good with hydrocarbons, halogenated solvents
Polyvinyl Alcohol very high organics aliphatics, aromatics, chlorinated solvents, ketones, esters, ethers Not good with alcohols, acids, bases; glove is destroyed by water
Silver Shield medium high general resistance hazmat poor fit, stiff, easily punctured

 

General Glove Resistance

Chemical Hazard Latex Polyvinyl Chloride Nitrile Neoprene Polyethlylene Viton Butyl Polyvinyl Alcohol
Dilute Acids + + + +   + +  
Alcohols + + + + + + +  
Alkali + + + +   + +  
Aromatics           +   +
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons     +     + + +
Epoxy Resins   + + +   + +  
Esters             +  
Hydrocarbons     + +   + + +
Ketones             +  
Lacquer Thinners     + +   + + +
Oils, Grease   + + +   + + +
Petroleum Distillates     + +   + + +
PCB's           +  

 

Glove Suitability for Specific Cleanroom Chemicals

Chemical Hazard Latex Polyvinyl Chloride Nitrile Neoprene Polyurethane Polyethlylene Viton (fluoroelastimer) Butyl Polyvinyl Alcohol Silver Shield (norfoil)
Acetic Acid G F F G F F G G P UNK
Acetone F P F F G P P G P G
Ammonium Fluoride, 30-79% G F G F F UNK UNK UNK UNK UNK
Ammonium Hydroxide, < 30% G G G G F G UNK G UNK UNK
Ammonium Hydroxide 30-70% G F G G F F UNK UNK P UNK
Aqua Regia F F P G P UNK UNK UNK UNK UNK
Chromic Acid P F F P P P G G P UNK
Freon TMC F P F P UNK UNK UNK UNK G UNK
Freon 113 or TF P F G G G UNK UNK UNK UNK UNK
Hydrochloric Acid < 30% G F G G P F G G P UNK
Hydrochloric Acid 30-70% G F F G P P UNK UNK P UNK
Hydrofluoric Acid < 10% G F G F P F UNK UNK UNK UNK
Hydrofluoric Acid < 50% F F F F P P UNK UNK P UNK
Hydrogen Peroxide G G G F UNK G G G P UNK
Isopropyl Alcohol (2-propanol, Isopropanol) G F G G G G G G UNK UNK
Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) P P P P UNK UNK G G UNK UNK
Methyl Ethyl Ketone F P P F G P P P F G
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone P P P P G P UNK UNK UNK UNK
N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone G F P UNK F UNK UNK UNK UNK UNK
Nitric Acid < 30% G G F G P F G G UNK G
Nitric Acid 30-70% P P P F P P G G P UNK
Phosphoric Acid > 70% F G F G F F G G P UNK
Potassium Hydroxide G G G G P F G G P UNK
Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate G G G G UNK UNK G G UNK UNK
Sulfuric Acid 30-70% G F P G P F G G P G
Sulfuric Acid > 70% P P P F P P F F P UNK
Xylenes P F F P G UNK G G UNK G

G=GOOD F=FAIR P=POOR UNK=UNKNOWN

Other Websites Containing Glove Suitability Information for Other Chemicals

  1. http://www.tasco-safety.com/workgloves/chem.html 
  2. https://ehs.berkeley.edu/workplace-safety/glove-selection-guide