EPDM & FKM Chemical Resistance Guide SECOND EDITION EPDM & FKM CHEMICAL RESISTANCE GUIDE Elastomers: Ethylene Propylene (EPDM) Fluorocarbon (FKM) Chemical Resistance Guide Ethylene Propylene (EPDM) & Fluorocarbon (FKM) 2nd Edition © 2020 by IPEX. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission. For information contact: IPEX, Marketing, 1425 North Service Road East, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, L6H 1A7 ABOUT IPEX At IPEX, we have been manufacturing non-metallic pipe and fittings since 1951. We formulate our own compounds and maintain strict quality control during production. Our products are made available for customers thanks to a network of regional stocking locations from coast-to-coast. We offer a wide variety of systems including complete lines of piping, fittings, valves and custom-fabricated items. More importantly, we are committed to meeting our customers’ needs. As a leader in the plastic piping industry, IPEX continually develops new products, modernizes manufacturing facilities and acquires innovative process technology. In addition, our staff take pride in their work, making available to customers their extensive thermoplastic knowledge and field experience. IPEX personnel are committed to improving the safety, reliability and performance of thermoplastic materials. We are involved in several standards committees and are members of and/or comply with the organizations listed on this page. For specific details about any IPEX product, contact our customer service department. INTRODUCTION Elastomers have outstanding resistance to a wide range of chemical reagents. Selecting the correct elastomer for an application will depend on the chemical resistance, temperature and mechanical properties needed. Resistance is a function both of temperatures and concentration, and there are many reagents which can be handled for limited temperature ranges and concentrations. In borderline cases, it will be found that there is limited attack, generally resulting in some swelling due to absorption. Resistance is often affected (and frequently reduced) when handling a number of chemicals or compounds containing impurities. For this reason, when specific applications are being considered, it may be worthwhile to carry out tests using the actual product that will be encountered in service. The listing that follows does not address chemical combinations. The information is based on immersion tests on unstressed coupons, experiments and, when available, actual process experience as well as data from tests inclusive of stress from temperature and pressure. The end user should be aware of the fact that actual service conditions will affect the chemical resistance. Chemical resistance data from immersion tests cannot be unconditionally applied to elastomer components subjected to high levels of continuous or frequent mechanical or thermal stresses. When the elastomer will be subject to a continuous applied mechanical or thermal stress, or to combinations of chemicals, testing that duplicates the expected field conditions, as closely as possible, should be performed on representative samples of the elastomer product to properly evaluate the elastomer for use in this application. RATINGS Ratings are according to the product and suppliers. The absence of any class indication for any given materials, signifies the absence of data for such material(s) with respect to the specific chemical(s), temperature(s) and concentration(s). Note: Chemical resistance data is found in a laboratory setting and cannot account for all possible variables of an installed application. It is up to the design engineer or final user to use this information as guidance for a specific application design. If a material is chemically resistant to the concentrated form of a specific chemical, it should be resistant to the diluted form of that same chemical. IMPORTANT NOTICE Before you select or use any product or system, it is important that you analyze all aspects of your application and review the information concerning the product in the current product catalog. The user, through its own analysis and testing, is solely responsible for making the final selection of the system and components and assuring that all performance, safety and warning requirements of the application are met. Please, note that this publication is only a guide to be used for initial information on the material to be selected. No guarantee can be given in respect of the listed data. IPEX reserves the right to make any modification whatsoever, based upon further researches and experiences. IPEX Chemical Resistance Guide for EPDM & FKM i NOTES ii IPEX Chemical Resistance Guide for EPDM & FKM ETHYLENE PROPYLENE (EPDM) & FLUOROCARBON (FKM) All Chemical Resistance data for Ethylene Propylene (EPDM) and Fluorocarbon (FKM) contained within this manual has been obtained from FIP S.p.A. Resistance data was obtained from FIP’s online Chemical Resistance Guide. Compound Compatibility Rating Four different classes of chemical resistance are used in this guide i.e.: 1 High Resistance All material belonging to this class are completely or almost completely corrosion proof against the conveyed fluid according to the specified operating conditions 2 Limited Resistance The materials belonging to this class are partially attacked by the conveyed chemical compound. The average life of the material is therefore shorter, and it is advisable to use a higher safety factor the one adopted for Class 1 materials 3 No Resistance All material belonging to this class are subject to corrosion by the conveyed fluid and they should therefore not be used Insufficient Data The absence of any class indication means that no data are available The materials belonging to this class are completely resistant against the conveyed fluid according to the specified operating conditions. Chemical resistance for EPDM and FKM applies to IPEX valves and fittings using EPDM and FKM seals. Legend: % Concentration Dil Diluted Solution Sat Saturated Solution All All the Concentration Conc Concentrated Tech.P Technically Pure Nd Undefined Concentration Sol.Aq Aqueous Solution Comm Commercial Solution Emu.Aq Aqueous Emulsion IPEX Chemical Resistance Guide for EPDM & FKM 1 ETHYLENE PROPYLENE (EPDM) CHEMICAL RESISTANCE DATA Temperature Name Concentration % Formula 68°F 104°F 140°F 176°F 212°F 248°F (20°C) (40°C) (60°C) (80°C) (100°C) (120°C) A Acetaldehyde Sol.Aq (40%) CH3CHO 1 1 2 Acetaldehyde Tech.P (100%) CH3CHO 1 2 3 Acetic Acid Glacial (100%) CH3COOH 3 Acetic Acid Sol.Aq (10%) CH3COOH 1 1 2 2 3 Acetic Acid Sol.Aq (30%) CH3COOH 1 1 2 Acetic Acid Sol.Aq (60%) CH3COOH 1 2 3 3 3 Acetic Acid Sol.Aq (80%) CH3COOH 2 2 3 3 3 Acetic Acid Anhydride Tech.P (100%) (CH3CO)2O 2 2 3 Acetone Sol.Aq (10%) CH3COCH3 1 1 2 2 3 Acetone Tech.P (100%) CH3COCH3 1 1 2 2 3 Acetonitrile CH3CN 2 3 Acetophenone Tech.P (Nd%) CH3COC6H5 1 1 2 2 Acetyl Acetone CH3COCH2COCH3 3 Acetylene C2H2 2 3 3 Acrylonitrile Tech.P (100%) CH2=CH-CN 2 3 Adipic Acid Sol.Aq (Sat%) HOOC(CH2)4COOH 1 1 1 2 3 Alcoholic Spirit 1 Allyl Alcohol Sol.Aq (96%) CH2=CH-CH2OH 1 1 2 3 Allyl Chloride CH2=CHCH2Cl 3 3 Alum Sol.Aq (Dil%) Al2(SO4)3K2SO4 4H2O 1 1 1 2 Alum Sol.Aq (Sat%) Al2(SO4)3K2SO4 4H2O 1 1 1 2 2 Aluminium Acetate Sol.Aq (Sat%) (CH3COO)3Al 1 1 1 1 Aluminium Bromide Sol.Aq (Sat%) AlBr3 1 1 1 Aluminium Chloride Sol.Aq (All%) AlCl3 1 1 1 2 3 Aluminium Fluoride Sol.Aq (Sat%) AlF3 1 1 1 1 3 Aluminium Hydroxide Sol.Aq (All%) Al(OH)3 1 1 1 2 2 Aluminium Nitrate Sol.Aq (Sat%) Al(NO3)3 1 1 1 2 3 Aluminium Sulfate Sol.Aq (10%) Al2(SO4)3 1 1 1 Aluminium Sulfate Sol.Aq (Sat%) Al2(SO4)3 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonia Sol.Aq (Dil%) NH3 1 1 1 1 Ammonia Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH3 2 2 2 1 Ammonia Gas Tech.P (100%) NH3 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Acetate Sol.Aq (Sat%) CH3COONH4 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Bifluoride Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH4FHF 1 1 1 2 2 Ammonium Carbonate Sol.Aq (100%) (NH4)2CO3 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Chloride Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH4Cl 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Fluoride Sol.Aq (25%) NH4F 1 1 1 Ammonium Hydroxide Sol.Aq (Dil%) NH4OH 1 1 1 2 3 1 – High Resistance 2 – Limited Resistance 3 – No Resistance (blank) – Insufficient Data 2 IPEX Chemical Resistance Guide for EPDM & FKM ETHYLENE PROPYLENE (EPDM) CHEMICAL RESISTANCE DATA Temperature Name Concentration % Formula 68°F 104°F 140°F 176°F 212°F 248°F (20°C) (40°C) (60°C) (80°C) (100°C) (120°C) Ammonium Hydroxide Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH4OH 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Metaphosphate Sol.Aq (All%) (NH4)4P4O12 1 1 1 1 Ammonium Nitrate Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH4NO3 1 1 1 1 3 Ammonium Persulfate Sol.Aq (All%) (NH4)2S2O8 1 1 Ammonium Phosphate 1 1 1 2 3 Ammonium Sulfate Sol.Aq (All%) (NH4)2SO4 1 1 1 1 3 Ammonium Sulfhydrate Sol.Aq (Dil%) NH4OH(NH4)2SO4 1 1 2 2 3 Ammonium Sulfhydrate Sol.Aq (Sat%) NH4OH(NH4)2SO4 1 1 2 2 3 Ammonium Sulfide Sol.Aq (10%) (NH4)2S 1 1 1 1 Ammonium Sulfide Sol.Aq (Sat%) (NH4)2S 1 1 1 1 Amyl Acetate Tech.P (100%) CH3COO(CH2)4CH3 1 2 3 Amyl Alcohol CH3(CH2)3CH2OH 1 1 1 2 3 Amyl Borate Tech.P (100%) (C5H11)3BO3 2 Amyl Chloride Tech.P (100%) CH3(CH2)4Cl 3 Aniline Tech.P (100%) C6H5NH2 1 2 2 2 3 Aniline Chlorhydrate Sol.Aq (Sat%) C6H5NH2HCl 1 1 1 1 1 Anthraquinone 1 Sulfonic Acid Antimony Trichloride Sol.Aq (90%) SbCl3 1 2 2 3 Aqua Regia 3HCl+1HNO3 3 Arsenic Acid H3ASO4 1 1 1 2 3 Asphalt 3 B Barium Carbonate Sol.Aq (All%) BaCO3 1 1 1 1 Barium Chloride Sol.Aq (All%) BaCl2 1 1 1 1 Barium Hydroxide Sol.Aq (Sat%) Ba(OH)2 1 1 1 1 Barium Nitrate Sol.Aq (Sat%) Ba(NO3)2 1 1 1 1 2 Barium Sulfate Sol.Aq (Sat%) BaSO4 1 1 1 1 Barium Sulfide Sol.Aq (Sat%)