Thermoplastic elastomer (tpe) by injection modling offers an alternate method for forming chemical protective gloves a socmpared to the conventonal dip process using buytl rubber solutions. The advent of various tpes with olefinic, styrenic, urethane, engineering resins and alloys and blends offer the advantage of injection modling products which have been conventionally made by elastomer compounding and thermoset curing. The size and shape of the product, the gloves require innovative formulation of the resin system as well insert mold with removable core for fabrication. Due to the large areas involved with extremely thin sections, tpes which have very low viscosities over a wide range of shear rates and temperatures will be required. The development of tpe alloys using prevulcanized elastomeric dispersions in thermoplastics offers a viable approach in developing a injection moldable tpe. Statistical design methods will be used in the formulation of the tpe systems which will meet or exceed the performance requirements (mil-g-43976) of currently used butyl rubber gloves. A small prototype model tool with multiple gates will be used in the evaluation of the various tpes and their processing into items which will simulate the currently used gloves.
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