The material grade of nitrile gloves is mainly divided according to the purity of raw materials, physical properties, processing technology and applicable scenes, etc. The common ways of division are as follows:
I. Divided according to the purity of raw materials and impurity content
- Industrial grade nitrile gloves
◦ The content of nitrile rubber in raw materials is relatively low (usually 60%-80%), more fillers, softeners and other additives will be added, and the content of impurities (e.g. metal ions, residual monomers) is high.
◦ Suitable for general industrial scenarios (e.g. machinery maintenance, cleaning), with basic needs for abrasion resistance, oil and dirt resistance, but not high requirements for cleanliness, allergy risk, etc.
- Medical/Food Grade Nitrile Gloves
◦ Higher purity of nitrile rubber (≥80%), strict control on the types and dosage of additives, no carcinogenic additives, and very low impurity content (e.g. extractables, microbial indexes in line with the relevant standards, such as the U.S. FDA, EU CE certification requirements).
◦ Better biocompatibility, not easy to trigger allergies, suitable for medical inspection, food processing and other scenarios with high requirements for hygiene and safety.
Second, according to the physical performance indicators
- Normal strength nitrile gloves
◦ Tear strength is usually in the range of 15-25kN/m, tensile strength 10-20MPa, elongation 400%-600%, suitable for daily light operation (e.g. household chores, low-intensity industrial work).
- High strength nitrile gloves
◦ Tear strength ≥25kN/m, tensile strength ≥20MPa, elongation ≥600%, some products are optimized by formula (e.g. increase cross-linking density) or thickening design, abrasion resistance and puncture resistance are significantly improved, suitable for high-intensity operations such as construction, automobile manufacturing and chemical industry.
III. Divided by special function and process
- Powder-free nitrile gloves
◦ Remove powder by process such as electron microscope treatment, chlorine washing, etc. to avoid dust contamination and allergy risk, with higher material grade, commonly used in clean scenarios such as medical, electronics, laboratory, etc.
- Chemical resistant nitrile gloves
◦ Adopt high acrylonitrile content nitrile rubber (30%-40% acrylonitrile content, the higher the content, the stronger the oil resistance), better resistance to organic solvents, acids and alkalis and other chemicals, belongs to the professional protection grade material.
- Antistatic/conductive nitrile gloves
◦ Add antistatic agent or conductive material, surface resistance control at 10⁶-10¹¹Ω (antistatic) or 10⁴-10⁶Ω (conductive), suitable for electronic manufacturing, semiconductors and other static-sensitive precision scenarios, the material grade needs to meet the antistatic standard (such as ISO 14644).
Fourth, according to the industry standard certification division – Compliance with medical standards (such as EN 455, ASTM D6319): need to pass the microbial testing, cytotoxicity testing, etc., the material grade requirements are stringent, to ensure the safety of contact with the human body or medical supplies. – Compliance with food contact standards (e.g. FDA 21 CFR 177.2600): Harmful additives are prohibited, and the migration resistance of the material meets the standard, suitable for direct contact with food. – Comply with industrial protection standards (e.g. EN 374, ANSI/ISEA 105): focusing on chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, puncture resistance, etc., and classified into grades (e.g. abrasion resistance grades of Level 1-5) according to different industrial needs. To summarize, the material grade of nitrile gloves is a comprehensive reflection of “purity, performance and safety”: industrial grade focuses on basic durability, medical/food grade emphasizes purity and safety, and special function grade strengthens professional performance for specific scenes. When choosing, it is necessary to match the corresponding grade of products according to the criteria of the use scenario (e.g. hygiene, protection, anti-static, etc.).
Post time: Jun-26-2025