Seminar Projek Ilmiah Program Kejuruteraan Kimia 2022 SPIK 2022

Response Surface Methodology for Optimizing Natural Latex Gloves’ Visual

and Physical Properties
Kashvinwarma A/L Baskarana, Teow Yeit Haana,b*
a
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
b
Research Centre for Sustainable Process Technology (CESPRO), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
*Corresponding author. Tel: +603-89217095; E-mail: yh_teow@ukm.edu.my

Abstract-The Malaysian gloves industry has seen progressive growth ever since its
introduction to the Malaysian market and worldwide. It’s recent spike in demand due to
the covid-19 situation has sparked the interest of many researchers and engineers to
produce higher quality gloves. Given the occurrence of new variant outbreaks and
infection rates being at all-time high in countries like the UK and the US, the demand
for gloves is expected to remain high at least for the upcoming year. It is known that the
additives added for various functional reasons, will influence the overall quality of the
gloves. Sulfur, ZDBC and ZDEC are common additives found in the latex formulation
which the ceramic hand formers are dipped into. Sulfur is known as vulcanizing agent
while ZDBC and ZDEC act as accelerators of the vulcanization process. Vulcanization is
the strengthening of latex which will directly affect the physical and visual properties of
gloves. The quality of gloves can be improved if the optimized ratio of additives has been
identified. Natural latex gloves are still considered superior to its synthetic counterparts
but till now there is no research conducted in optimizing the synthesis of process of
natural gloves. Optimization can make the synthesis process much more efficient and
cost effective. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is a widely used mathematical
and statistical method for modeling and analyzing a process in which the response of
interest is affected by various variables and the objective of this method is to optimize
the response. In this research the addition of additives such as sulfur, ZDBC and ZDEC
will be optimized. Furthermore, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be carried out to
understand the impact the production of natural latex gloves will have towards the
environment. LCA is the factual analysis of a product’s entire life cycle in terms of
sustainability. Every part of a product’s life cycle from extraction of raw materials to
the environment to the disposal of product can be analyzed as it can have an impact on
the environment in many ways.

Keywords: Natural Latex Gloves; Additives; Response surface Methodology;

Optimization; Life cycle assessment