Wear the proper gloves when handling chemicals: ACIDS | BASES | SOLVENTS.
The gloves provided at the entrance of the cleanroom are NOT chemical gloves. They serve only to protect the equipment from the oils and dirt present on human hands. They will NOT protect you from a chemical spill. They will break down when exposed to most chemicals which can leave skin exposed to the chemicals being used. Always wear the appropriate chemical gloves when handling chemicals. For most chemicals either the black Neoprene or the green Nitrile gloves are adequate. A selection chart has been provided to select the most appropriate glove for the chemical. These gloves are available in various sizes and are stored in the storeroom.
If your gloves are exposed to a chemical spill, stop working and quickly rinse them off. Then, carefully remove them starting from the cuff and pulling them inside out making sure not to touch the contaminated area of the glove. Throw them away immediately and obtain new gloves.
ALWAYS examine gloves before using them. Check for tears, punctures, or delamination of the protective material. DO NOT USE ANY GLOVE THAT IS DAMAGED. Do not store gloves in the desiccator cabinets (dry boxes). The dry nitrogen atmosphere will cause them to dry out and break down making them a safety hazard.
Both neoprene and nitrile gloves are available in the storeroom. The neoprene gloves are black and the nitrile gloves are green.
Please note the technical datasheets and sds are also good resources. For example, NR9 photoresists suggests to use double glove of laytex gloves.
Acids |
Best Choice
(Intermittent Exposure) |
Best Choice
(Heavy Exposure) |
Acetic |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Hydrochloric Acid |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Hydrofluoric Acid |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Nitric |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Phosphoric |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Sulfuric |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Bases |
Best Choice
(Intermittent Exposure) |
Best Choice
(Heavy Exposure) |
Ammonium Hydroxide |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Potassium Hydroxide |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Sodium Hydroxide |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Solvents |
Best Choice
(Intermittent Exposure) |
Best Choice
(Heavy Exposure) |
Acetone |
Neoprene |
Neoprene |
Chlorobenzene |
Nitrile |
Viton |
Hexane |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Isopropanol |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Methanol |
Neoprene |
Neoprene |
Methyl Ethyl Ketone |
Neoprene |
Neoprene |
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone |
Neoprene |
Neoprene |
Toluene |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |
Trichloroethylene |
Nitrile |
Neoprene |
Xylene |
Nitrile |
Nitrile |