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Butyl gloves are chemical-resistant gloves made of butyl rubber. They are chosen for specific chemical classes, mainly ketones and esters, and are a poor choice for others. This page sets butyl beside PVC, Viton and nitrile using one published university glove guide, so a lab worker or buyer can see which material is named for which hazard before checking the safety data sheet (SDS).
Who uses them: laboratory staff and other workers whose hands are exposed to chemical hazards, and the people who select or buy hand protection for them.
What are butyl gloves?
Butyl gloves are reusable chemical-resistant gloves made from butyl rubber. UC Berkeley’s glove selection guide lists butyl rubber under extended contact use, not as a disposable exam glove. Its stated strength is that it is “good for ketones and esters”; its stated weakness is that it is “poor for gasoline and aliphatic, aromatic, and halogenated hydrocarbons” (UC Berkeley EHS, checked 2026-10-30).
What do butyl gloves resist, and what do they not?
Butyl is named for ketones and esters. It is named as poor for gasoline and for aliphatic, aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons. A glove that suits one solvent family can fail against another, so the material must be matched to the specific chemical.
Butyl, PVC, Viton and nitrile compared
| Glove material | Contact type listed | Listed as good for | Listed as poor for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butyl rubber | Extended contact | Ketones and esters | Gasoline; aliphatic, aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons |
| PVC (polyvinyl chloride) | Specific use | Acids, bases, oils, fats, peroxides and amines | Most organic solvents |
| Viton | Extended contact | Chlorinated and aromatic solvents | Ketones |
| Nitrile | Incidental contact (disposable exam glove) or extended contact (thicker reusable glove) | General use; solvents, oils, greases, and some acids and bases | Not listed |
Source: UC Berkeley EHS, Glove Selection Guide, checked 2026-10-30. The guide points readers to the SDS and external compatibility charts for individual chemicals.
Butyl vs nitrile gloves
Nitrile is described as an excellent general-use glove, good for solvents, oils, greases and some acids and bases, with a clear indication of tears and breaks and a good alternative for people with latex allergies. Butyl is listed only for ketones and esters. The guide lists nitrile in both a disposable and a thicker reusable form; butyl appears only as an extended-contact glove.
Butyl vs Viton gloves
The two are close to opposites in the guide: butyl is good for ketones and poor for aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons, while Viton is good for chlorinated and aromatic solvents and poor for ketones.
PVC gloves vs nitrile gloves
PVC is listed for acids, bases, oils, fats, peroxides and amines, and as poor for most organic solvents. Nitrile is listed as good for solvents, oils, greases and some acids and bases, so the two overlap on oils and some acids and bases and differ on solvents. The guide gives no breakthrough times for any of these materials.
How to choose a glove material
- Start from the chemical and the task. OSHA’s hand protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.138(a), requires employers to “select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection” when hands are exposed to hazards such as skin absorption of harmful substances or chemical burns. Under 1910.138(b), selection rests on “an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection relative to the task(s) to be performed, conditions present, duration of use, and the hazards and potential hazards identified” (OSHA, checked 2026-10-30).
- Match the material to the chemical class using the table above, then confirm with the SDS and a compatibility chart for the exact chemical. See the glove compatibility chart entry for how those charts work.
- Do not assume one glove covers a mixture. Butyl’s poor rating for several hydrocarbon classes and Viton’s poor rating for ketones mean a glove chosen for one component may not suit another.
For breakthrough time, permeation testing and thickness, read the chemical-resistant glove selection guide, which covers those measures in detail.
Safe use and handling basics
From the same Berkeley guide on glove usage:
- Check gloves for rips or punctures before use.
- Remove and replace gloves immediately with new ones when a chemical spills or splashes on them.
- Never wash or reuse disposable gloves.
- Remove gloves before touching common objects such as doorknobs, phones or elevator buttons.
Gloves are one part of a wider PPE set; see the PPE selection guide for chemical handling and the lab safety equipment checklist.
Common mistakes
- Using a disposable nitrile exam glove where the task calls for an extended-contact glove. The guide distinguishes incidental from extended contact.
- Choosing butyl for a solvent in its poor list, such as an aromatic or halogenated hydrocarbon.
- Treating a general chart as the final answer instead of checking the SDS for the specific chemical.
- Reusing a glove after a splash; the guide says to replace it immediately.
FAQ
What are butyl gloves good for?
Per UC Berkeley EHS, butyl rubber is good for ketones and esters.
What are butyl gloves not good for?
The same guide lists butyl as poor for gasoline and for aliphatic, aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons.
Are butyl gloves better than nitrile?
Neither is better in general. Each is matched to chemicals: butyl to ketones and esters, nitrile as a general-use glove for solvents, oils, greases and some acids and bases. Check the SDS for the chemical in use.
What are PVC gloves used for?
The guide lists PVC as good for acids, bases, oils, fats, peroxides and amines, and poor for most organic solvents.
What are Viton gloves used for?
Viton is listed as good for chlorinated and aromatic solvents, and poor for ketones.
Sources
- UC Berkeley Environment, Health and Safety, Glove Selection Guide, checked 2026-10-30.
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.138, Hand Protection, checked 2026-10-30.
