Professional Healthcare
An Analysis of Gloving Materials
A Self-Study Guide


Glossary of Terms


Allergen: An antigen; a substance capable of inducing allergy or specific hypersensitivity.
Allergy: The immunologic state induced in a susceptible individual by an antigen, characterized by a marked change in the subject’s reactivity.
Dermatitis: An inflammation of the skin.
Elasticity: The ability of a material to spring back to its original size, shape, or position after being stretched, squeezed, flexed, or expanded.
Elastomer: A rubber-like, latex-free polymer.
Irritation: Extreme incipient inflammatory reaction of the tissues to an injury.
Latex: A viscid, milky juice secreted by the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. Used in the manufacture of rubber goods, adhesives, etc. Latex contains carbohydrates, lipids, phospholipids, proteins, and cis-1, 4-polyisoprene.
Modulus: The amount of pressure that a stretched film exerts on the hand.
Natural rubber latex: A white, milky polymeric substance obtained from the sap of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. It is concentrated and converted into finished goods by dipping, extruding, or coating.
Neoprene: A latex-free rubber produced by the polymerization of chloroprene; it is highly resistant to oil, heat, light, and oxidation, and is often used in the manufacture of housekeeping gloves.
Nitrile: A petroleum-based, cross-linked film that is formed by the copolymerization of butadiene with acrylonitrile to yield a nitrile elastomer.
Polyisoprene: An elastomer that has the same molecular structure as natural rubber, but contains no natural rubber latex protein.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Contains the monovalent radical CH2:CH; various vinyl compounds are polymerized to form resins and plastics for a wide variety of industrial products, including latex-free examination gloves.
Tensile strength: Resistance to lengthwise stress, measured by the greatest load pulling in the direction of length that a material can bear without tearing apart. The measure of force needed to break a glove material.
Thermoplastic: Becoming or remaining soft and moldable when subjected to heat.


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