Elastomeric articles having improved chemical resistance

Abstract

An elastomeric article (e.g., glove, condom, etc.) that includes a chemical protection layer that will not substantially dissolve when applied with certain chemicals or solvents, such as methyl methyacrylate, is provided. The chemical protection layer contains at least one crosslinked, modified silicone elastomer. For example, in one embodiment, the modified silicone chemical protection layer covers the outer surface of a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (S-EB-S) block copolymer substrate body to impart relative chemical resistance to the resulting elastomeric article.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An elastomeric article that comprises: 
 a substrate body including a layer made of an elastomeric material, said substrate body having an inside surface and an outside surface; and    a chemical protection layer covering said outside surface of said substrate body, said chemical protection layer including at least one modified silicone elastomer that has been crosslinked.    
     
     
         2 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-modified silicones, vinyl-modified silicones, methyl-modified silicones, fluoro-modified silicones, alkyl-modified silicones, alkoxy-modified silicones, alkylamino-modified silicones, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-modified silicones, vinyl-modified silicones, methyl-modified silicones, fluoro-modified silicones.  
     
     
         4 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer contains a diphenyl modified dimethylsilicone.  
     
     
         5 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical protection layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.30 millimeters.  
     
     
         6 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical protection layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.20 millimeters.  
     
     
         7 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said chemical protection layer defines an outer surface of the elastomeric article.  
     
     
         8 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material of said substrate body is selected from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-polybutadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-isoprene block copolymers, styrene-butadiene block copolymers, natural rubber latex, nitrile rubbers, isoprene rubbers, chloroprene rubbers, polyvinyl chlorides, silicone rubbers, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the elastomeric material of said substrate body contains at least one styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer.  
     
     
         10 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a donning layer overlying the inside surface of said substrate body.  
     
     
         11 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said donning layer contains syndiotactic 1,2 polybutadiene.  
     
     
         12 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising a lubricant layer overlying the inside surface of said donning layer.  
     
     
         13 . An elastomeric article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the article is a glove.  
     
     
         14 . An elastomeric glove that comprises: 
 a substrate body including a layer made of an elastomeric material, said elastomeric material including at least one styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer, wherein said substrate body has an inside surface and an outside surface; and    a chemical protection layer covering said outside surface of said substrate body, said chemical protection layer including at least one modified silicone elastomer that has been crosslinked, wherein said modified silicone elastomer is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-modified silicones, vinyl-modified silicones, methyl-modified silicones, fluoro-modified silicones, alkyl-modified silicones, alkoxy-modified silicones, alkylamino-modified silicones, and combinations thereof.    
     
     
         15 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-modified silicones, vinyl-modified silicones, methyl-modified silicones, fluoro-modified silicones.  
     
     
         16 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said chemical protection layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.30 millimeters.  
     
     
         17 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said chemical protection layer has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.20 millimeters.  
     
     
         18 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said chemical protection layer defines an outer surface of the glove.  
     
     
         19 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 14 , further comprising a donning layer overlying the inside surface of said substrate body.  
     
     
         20 . An elastomeric glove as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising a lubricant layer overlying the inside surface of said donning layer.  
     
     
         21 . A method for forming an elastomeric article, said method comprising: 
 furnishing a liquid solution comprising a modified silicone elastomer and a solvent;    dipping a former having the shape of the elastomeric article into said liquid solution and withdrawing the former from said liquid solution;    evaporating the solvent from the liquid solution present on the former so that a modified silicone elastomer film is formed thereon; and    heating the modified silicone elastomer to induce crosslinking.    
     
     
         22 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the modified silicone elastomer is crosslinked at a temperature of from about 200° F. to about 400° F.  
     
     
         23 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the modified silicone elastomer is crosslinked at a temperature of from about 200° F. to about 350° F.  
     
     
         24 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer is selected from the group consisting of phenyl-modified silicones, vinyl-modified silicones, methyl-modified silicones, fluoro-modified silicones, alkyl-modified silicones, alkoxy-modified silicones, alkylamino-modified silicones, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         25 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer contains a diphenyl modified dimethylsilicone.  
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said uncrosslinked modified silicone elastomer has a solids content of from about 5% to about 40%.  
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said uncrosslinked modified silicone elastomer has a solids content of from about 10% to about 35%.  
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said uncrosslinked modified silicone elastomer has a viscosity of from about 300 centipoise to about 7000 centipoise.  
     
     
         29 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said uncrosslinked modified silicone elastomer has a viscosity of from about 600 centipoise to about 4000 centipoise.  
     
     
         30 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer film has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.30 millimeters.  
     
     
         31 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said modified silicone elastomer film has a thickness of from about 0.01 millimeters to about 0.20 millimeters.  
     
     
         32 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , further comprising dipping said crosslinked, modified silicone-coated former into a liquid solution of an elastomeric material to form the substrate body.  
     
     
         33 . A method as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said elastomeric material of said substrate body contains at least one styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer.  
     
     
         34 . A method as defined in  claim 32 , further comprising dipping said former into a liquid solution to apply a donning layer on a surface of said substrate body.  
     
     
         35 . A method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the elastomeric article is a glove.