Superior Glove Works Ltd.

Palm Coated » Polyurethane Gloves

About:

Palm-coated gloves are but one of the many great uses for polyurethane. (Short form: PU). With its great stretch, strength, and softness, as well as low particulate shed, it adds a whole other class of properties to the palm-coated glove category. Although it has been around for roughly seventy years, appreciation for it's non-allergenic properties for use in medical equipment has grown only recently.

It is a thermoplastic polymer of urethane that starts out as a hard resin and can be taken in numerous directions from hard to soft, depending on the desired end-use. Known as the most versatile polymer, the range of materials that the basic resin can be synthesized with are what makes it so.

Main Characteristics:

When it comes to glove coatings, polyurethane has the unique quality of being quite ‘grippy’ without being sticky. Finishing processes or substances like powder and chlorination are not required to reduce tackiness.

Polyurethane’s softness, combined with great puncture and abrasion resistance, make it a very desirable coating for cut-resistant gloves, because it provides grip and boosts puncture resistance, all without adding bulk or reducing touch sensitivity.

The low-particulate shed makes it a perfect choice for those working with electronics and in cleanrooms.

Chemically, polyurethane has excellent resistance to oils, solvents, fats, greases, gasoline (which makes it the opposite of rubber), oxidation and ozone but has poor resistance to hot water and is not recommended for use above 79°C (175°F).