Elastomeric items with desirable strength and comfort properties

Abstract

A test for determining whether an elastomeric article has a desired ratio of strength to comfort, i.e., a strength-comfort index, is disclosed. Methods for preparing strong, soft, and thin articles from synthetic latexes, to optimize the strength and comfort of the articles, are also disclosed. Using this index, and, optionally, comparing the results with those one obtained using natural rubber, one can determine whether an article of manufacture can be prepared from synthetic elastomers and still have optimal properties (i.e., strength and comfort), particularly as compared to a similar article prepared from natural rubber. The strength of an article is directly related to the force required to break a tensile specimen of the sample and thus the tensile strength of the article. A measure of the strength of an article relative to its resistance to deformation is given by the following ratio: T b T x × t 0 where Tb is the tensile strength of the article, Tx is the tensile stress at x % elongation, t0 is the thickness of the unstrained specimen, and Tb, Tx, and t0 are all measured following ASTM D-412. This ratio is defined herein as the strength-comfort index.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.