Polyurethane glove

Abstract

A polymeric glove is disclosed, which includes one or more polymer layers covering a user's fingers and palm, wherein at least one of the polymer layers comprises a polyurethane elastomer. A method to produce the polymeric glove is also disclosed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A polymeric glove comprising:
 one or more polymer layers covering a user's fingers and palm comprising a biodegradable polyurethane elastomer; and   a curing agent comprising a metal oxide,   wherein the polymeric glove has a degradation of greater than or equal to about 90% in less than 180 days when determined according to ISO 14855 under composting condition.   
     
     
         2 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , wherein the curing agent comprising the metal oxide is free of trivalent metal oxides. 
     
     
         3 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a thickness from about 0.035 mm to 0.4 mm, when determined in a palm portion of the polymeric glove. 
     
     
         4 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , further comprising an antioxidant, a curing accelerator, a pigment, a surfactant, a pH stabilizer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a moisture vapor transmission rate of greater than or equal to about 950 g/d.m 2  when determined according to EN 13726-2. 
     
     
         6 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having an ultimate tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 22 MPa, when determined according to ASTM D412. 
     
     
         7 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a percent elongation at break of greater than or equal to about 750%, when determined according to ASTM D412. 
     
     
         8 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a modulus at 300% elongation (M300) from about 2.75 to 3.05 MPa, when determined according to ASTM D412. 
     
     
         9 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a EN force at break of greater than or equal to about 6 N, when determined according to EN455-2. 
     
     
         10 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a normalized breakthrough time of greater than or equal to about 480 minutes in 40% sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         11 . The polymeric glove of  claim 1 , having a chemical resistance level L6 for 40% sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         12 . A single layer polymeric glove comprising a single polymer layer covering a user's fingers and palm comprising a biodegradable polyurethane elastomer; and
 a curing agent comprising a metal oxide,   wherein the single layer polymeric glove has a degradation of greater than or equal to about 90% in less than 180 days when determined according to ISO 14855 under composting condition.   
     
     
         13 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , wherein the curing agent comprising the metal oxide is free of trivalent metal oxides. 
     
     
         14 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , having a thickness from about 0.035 mm to 0.4 mm, when determined in a palm portion of the polymeric glove. 
     
     
         15 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , further comprising an antioxidant, a curing accelerator, a pigment, a surfactant, a pH stabilizer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , having a moisture vapor transmission rate of greater than or equal to about 950 g/d.m 2  when determined according to EN 13726-2. 
     
     
         17 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , having an ultimate tensile strength of greater than or equal to about 22 MPa, when determined according to ASTM D412. 
     
     
         18 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , having a percent elongation at break of greater than or equal to about 750%, when determined according to ASTM D412. 
     
     
         19 . The single layer polymeric glove of  claim 12 , having a normalized breakthrough time of greater than or equal to about 480 minutes in 40% sodium hydroxide. 
     
     
         20 . A polymeric glove consisting essentially of a single polymer layer and a skin-contacting coating layer covering a user's fingers and palm;
 the single polymer layer comprising a biodegradable polyurethane elastomer and a curing agent comprising a metal oxide;   the skin-contacting coating layer comprising polyisobutylene, polychloroprene, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene methyl acrylate, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene diene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, polyurethane, nitrile-butadiene rubber, carboxylated nitrile-butadiene rubber, polyamide polyvinyl chloride, acrylic, polyvinyl acetate, chlorosulphonated polyethylene rubber, isobutylene—isoprene rubber, or a combination thereof, wherein the skin contacting coating layer has a thickness from about 0.0005 mm to less than or equal to about 0.01 mm; and   wherein the polymeric glove has a degradation of greater than or equal to about 90% in less than 180 days when determined according to ISO 14855 under composting condition.