Comparison of test methods for pinhole and non-uniform defects in nitrile examination gloves

Mechanical and dielectric integrities of 4-g (0.07 mm thickness) nitrile-examination gloves with defects such as sub-mm pinhole and thin spot in the obscured finger region, as well as relatively large thin area, are measured and compared. Mechanical test methods were the water-leak test and the tensile test. In complaince to EN455 standard, a normal glove is required to pass the force-at-break of 6 N in the tensile test, but this was significantly reduced (<3 N) with the presence of above mentioned defects. Similarly, from the electrical insulation test, the dielectric breakdown voltage was reduced from around 800 V to as low as 20–40 V at the pinhole or thin spot. Based on the failure results, we compare the efficacies of water-leak, tensile and the electrical-insulation test methods. This work suggests that the electrical insulation test is suitable for real-time monitoring in the production line.