JD, I wouldn't worry too much about the risk of chemicals being absorbed through the nail plate into living tissue - ie nail bed for two reasons :green:
Firstly, because the links and info are spot on from all the geeks :green:
Secondly, because of the type of chemical reaction going on, the L&P will "cure" from the nail upwards and also the top downwards - why? well because the type of polymer and monomer we use cures with heat as they are cross-linking molecules - so, the warmer the area, the quicker it cures.
As the cross-linking molecules are busy reacting to the heat of our hands, then it doesn't have time to seep through to the nail plate. You can test it out my getting a big dollop of L&P letting it rest for a bit and then slice it open - it will be firmer on the outer side and soggy still on the inside - hope I'm explaining it ok :lol:
Not all free radicals are dangerous and indeed some are actually required in the body - it just depends what type they are - as long as they cross link it shouldn't be a problem - unless of course the client is continually over exposed
BTW - if the polymer and monomer isn't a cross linking type, then when it is exposed to heat, it will go all slippy and soggy :lol:
HTHs :green:
Just added the quote below -
Once the molecular chains are formed, it is possible for them to be joined to each other
by covalent bonds through a process known as crosslinking. The properties of a crosslinked
polymer differ markedly from those of the non-crosslinked variety, as you experienced when you
made Slime® in the first lab period. The molecular chains in non-crosslinked polymers will
usually slide across each other, especially when heated, so that the polymer softens and flows
and can be molded to form a variety of shapes. Such polymers are called thermoplastic
polymers. Crosslinked polymers are more rigid, hard and sometimes brittle and are referred to as
thermosetting polymers.