Scientists at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have developed a coating for protective gloves — commonly used for work, sports or household gardening tasks — that is composed of environmentally friendly lignin.

According to its developers, the new coating offers abrasion resistance, and it is both waterproof and resistant to chemicals and oil. Its developers suggest that the coating even protects against cuts and punctures.

Source: DITF

Previously, coatings developed for protective gloves were manufactured using oil-based polymers, nitrile rubber or latex. However the new coating is derived from lignin, which is a natural component of plant cells, using a 3D printing process that applies the coating precisely.

To develop an environmentally friendly alternative to oil-based coating polymers, the team of scientists created biopolymer compounds containing lignin to subsequently produce thermoplastic materials that can be processed using 3D printing.

Making it appropriate for durable coating materials is that lignin has few polar groups, which reportedly means that they are hydrophobic and, consequently, insoluble in water. As such, they biodegrade slowly — yet faster than conventional coatings.