Permeation of substituted silanes and siloxanes through selected gloves and protective clothing

Testing of the permeation resistance of eight glove and suit barriers again st commercially available substituted silanes and siloxanes was performed u sing the ASTM F739-96 standard test method. In addition to barrier performa nce to the pure organosilanes, the permeation rates of the hydrolysis produ ct (usually ethanol or methanol) were investigated. The silanes and siloxan es used as the challenge agents were N-2-(aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimetho xysilane; 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane; 3-chloropropyltrimethoxysilane; eth yltriacetoxysilane; 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane; 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexameth yldisilazane; hexamethyldisiloxane; 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane; m ethyltriacetoxysilane (50%)/ethyltriacetoxysilane (50%); methyltrimethoxysi lane; methyltris(methylethylketoxime)silane; phenyltrimethoxysilane; polydi methyl siloxanes (PS 340); octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D-4); tetraethoxys ilane; tetramethoxysilane; 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl disiloxane; triethoxysilane; trimethoxysilane; vinyltrimethoxysilane; and vinyltris(methylethylketoxime )silane. Protective gloves tested were nitrile rubber, neoprene rubber, but yl rubber, 4H(TM) laminate, and polyvinyl chloride. Garments tested include d Tyvek(R)/Saranex(R) 23P, CPF(R) 2, and Responder(R), all made by Kappler Safety Group. In all cases the protective suit materials lasted 8 hours or more. The only glove that lasted 8 hours against all chemicals was the 4H l aminate, The polyvinyl chloride glove lasted 10 min to 8 hours or more depe nding on the chemical. The nitrile, neoprene, and butyl rubber gloves laste d from 53 min to 8 hours or more depending on the chemical. The alcohol per meation was similar to the organosilicon compounds. The suit materials and the butyl glove all lasted more than 8 hours for both methanol and ethanol.