The chemical resistance of plastics The physical properties of plastics Polypropylene, PP Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE This chart gives general guidelines on the chemical resistance of plastics. Excellent resistance: Good resistance: l Translucent rigid polymer l Opaque rigid polymer 3 continuous exposure to the substance does not 2 continuous exposure to the substance causes l Temperature range -20 l Wide temperature range There are many factors that influence chemical resistance, we therefore to +135ºC –200 to +260ºC cause damage within 30 days. minor damage within 7 - 30 days. l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC recommend that you test for your own application before selecting the l Good to excellent chemical l Unrivalled resistance to Poor resistance: No information available. resistance almost all chemicals appropriate product. If you have any doubts please contact us for 1 l Resistant to fatigue making l Extremely low friction not suitable for continuous exposure to the it tough coefficient assistance. substance. Immediate damage may occur. l Typically used for beakers, l Typically used for bottles, bottles and cylinders beakers and stirrers LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT Low Density Polyethylene, LDPE Polyfluoroalkoxy, PFA Temperature ºC 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 Temperature ºC 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 20 50 l Translucent flexible polymer l Translucent flexible form l Narrow temperature range of PTFE Hexane of -50 to +80ºC Acetaldehyde 3 1 3 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 l Wide temperature range l Not autoclavable at 121ºC -260 to +260ºC Acetic Acid (Glacial) Hydrobromic Acid (69%) 2 1 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 l Good to excellent chemical l Autoclavable at 121ºC resistance l Excellent chemical resistance Acetic Anhydride Hydrochloric Acid (5%) 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 1 1 1 l Robust and virtually l Typically used for trace metal unbreakable analysis bottles Acetone Hydrochloric Acid (35%) 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 l Typically used for wash bottles Ammonium Chloride (10%) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 Hydrofluoric Acid (48%) 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 High Density Polyethylene, HDPE Polymethylmethacrylate, Ammonium Hydroxide (30%) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 Hydrogen Peroxide (30%) 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 1 3 l Translucent rigid polymer Acrylic (PMMA) l Amyl Acetate 2 1 3 2 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Lactic Acid (85%) 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 Broad temperature range l Transparent rigid polymer of -100 to +120ºC l Narrow temperature range Aniline (Phenylamine) l 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 2 2 Methyl Acetate 3 1 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 Not autoclavable at 121ºC -60 to +50ºC l Good to excellent chemical l Aqua Regia Not autoclavable at 121ºC 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 resistance l Moderate chemical resistance l High tensile strength making l Benzaldehyde Very tough and high clarity 3 2 2 1 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 Methyl Ethyl Ketone (Butanone) 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 it very tough l Typically used for radiation l Typically used for bottles Benzene 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 3 Methylene Chloride (Dichloro shields Methane) 1 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 Benzoic Acid 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 Mineral Oil 2 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Polymethylpentene, PMP (TPX) Polystyrene, PS l Boric Acid (10%) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Nitric Acid (10%) 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 2 l Transparent rigid polymer Transparent rigid polymer l Broad temperature range l Narrow temperature range Butyl Acetate 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 2 Nitric Acid (70%) 3 1 3 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 -180 to +145ºC -40 to +90ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Not autoclavable at 121ºC Butyric Acid (Butanoic acid) 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 Nitrobenzene 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 3 l Good to excellent chemical l Moderate chemical resistance resistance l Brittle yet has excellent Calcium Hydroxide (Saturated) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 Oxalic Acid (10%) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 l Has a low density and a clarity high clarity l Typically used for container Carbon Disulphide 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 Perchloric Acid (70%) 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 1 1 l Typically used for beakers and cylinders ware Carbon Tetrachloride 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 2 2 Phenol (100%) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 Polycarbonate, PC Polyvinylchloride, PVC Chloroform 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 Phosphoric Acid (85%) 3 1 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 1 l Transparent rigid polymer l Rigid polymer l l Narrow temperature range Citric Acid (1M) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Picric Acid Broad temperature range -135 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 to +135ºC -25 to +70ºC l l Not autoclavable at 121ºC Cresol 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 Potassium Hydroxide (30%) Autoclavable at 121ºC 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1 l Moderate chemical resistance l Moderate chemical resistance l l Rigid or flexible, coloured Cyclohexane 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 3 3 3 3 Potassium Permanganate High impact strength 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 2 2 3 l Typically used for safety shields or clear Dibutyl Phthalate 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 l Typically used for trays Propylene Glycol 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 and troughs Dichlorobenzene 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 Pyridine 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 Diethyl Ether 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 PMP Salicylic Acid 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 1 1 3 LDPE HDPE PP PC PS PMMA PTFE PFA (TPX) Diethylene Glycol 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 Silver Nitrate 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 Max usage Temp.