the chemical resistance of plastics...this chart gives general guidelines on the chemical resistance...
TRANSCRIPT
LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT
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
Acetaldehyde 3132212111211111113333Acetic Acid (Glacial) 21333222311111111133111Acetic Anhydride 1122223211111111112211Acetone 21112133111111111133332Ammonium Chloride (10%) 33333333322233332233Ammonium Hydroxide (30%) 3333333331122222223333Amyl Acetate 21322132111111113333333Aniline (Phenylamine) 32333332111111111133222Aqua Regia 11111111111111211133331Benzaldehyde 3221123211111111113333Benzene 11111111111111111133323Benzoic Acid 33333233323222333333 1Boric Acid (10%) 33333333333333333333333Butyl Acetate 22222222311111111133322Butyric Acid (Butanoic acid) 11211111311111111133 3Calcium Hydroxide (Saturated) 33333333331122332133333Carbon Disulphide 1111111111111111113333Carbon Tetrachloride 2121211131111121113322Chloroform 21211111111111111133111Citric Acid (1M) 33333333333333333 33Cresol 11212211111121111133 1Cyclohexane 21212111113211212 3333Dibutyl Phthalate 21212122112111111133333Dichlorobenzene 2121211111111111113311Diethyl Ether 11212111311111111133333Diethylene Glycol 33333333212233331133331Dimethyl Formamide (DMF) 33333333111111111133333Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) 333333331111 2111133 3Dioxane 222211221111111111332221Ethyl Acetate (Ethyl Ester) 33332121111111111122 1Ethyl Alcohol (Absolute Ethanol) 32333332333232111133333Ethyl Chloride (Chloroethane) 21112121111111111133Ethylene Chloride 2111212121111111113311Ethylene Oxide (Pure) 22222121112111113333332Ethylene Oxide (Gas) 22333322223332223333Formaldehyde (Formalin) 40% 32323333333322213233333Formic Acid (50%) 2233323331222232 33 2Formic Acid (100%) 2233323331212211 3311Glycerine (Glycerol) 33333333333333333333223
LDPE HDPE PP PMP (TPX) PVC PC PS SAN PMMA PTFE POM PBT
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
Hexane 11222221312111333 33333Hydrobromic Acid (69%) 3332323 3332222221133111Hydrochloric Acid (5%) 333333 3 3333333332 33111Hydrochloric Acid (35%) 33333232332133321133111Hydrofluoric Acid (48%) 33333232222111321133112Hydrogen Peroxide (30%) 33333232333332332133313Lactic Acid (85%) 33333232323233333333313Methyl Acetate 3133322111111111 33 1Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) 323333 32332222111133333Methyl Ethyl Ketone (Butanone) 111133 31111111111133 3Methylene Chloride (Dichloro Methane) 11313131111111111133111Mineral Oil 23333232333333333333333Nitric Acid (10%) 33222222233223223 33112Nitric Acid (70%) 31311131111111111133112Nitrobenzene 11111131111111111133213Oxalic Acid (10%) 333333 3 3333333333333333Perchloric Acid (70%) 2121212121112222332211Phenol (100%) 11111111111111111133111Phosphoric Acid (85%) 3133323232323233213331Picric Acid 1111113311112233 33Potassium Hydroxide (30%) 333333 3 3331122333333331Potassium Permanganate 3333323 3323332222133223Propylene Glycol 333333 3 322223333 3333Pyridine 1111332111111111113332Salicylic Acid 333333 3 322323232 33113Silver Nitrate 323333 3 332333332 3322Sodium Hydroxide (50%) 223333 33331132323133331Sodium Hypochlorite (15%) 3232213 3332232333333 1Sulphuric Acid (20%) 333333 3 3323233323333Sulphuric Acid (60%) 3232223232223211113311Sulphuric Acid (98%) 22222322211122111133111Tetrahydrofuran (THF) 21232222111111111133223Toluene 21111122111111111133113Trichloroacetic Acid 2121223 321212111 33 1Trichloroethylene 111111111111111111331111Turpentine 21212121222111212133333Xylene 11211121111111111133331Zinc Chloride (10%) 333333 3 3333333333333323Zinc Sulphate (10%) 333333 3 333333333333321
2Good resistance:continuous exposure to the substance causes minor damage within 7 - 30 days.
1Poor resistance:not suitable for continuous exposure to the substance. Immediate damage may occur.
3Excellent resistance:continuous exposure to the substance does not cause damage within 30 days.
The physical properties of plastics
* Permeability (cc-mm/m2-24hr.Bar).† Polymer may be malleable at temperatures above 80ºC if the product is under structural
stress.†† Material may become brittle at low temperatures.
Max usage Temp. ºC
Min usage Temp. ºC
Transparency
Flexability
Specific Gravity
Microwaveable
Autoclavable
Gas
Dry Heat
Radiation (Gamma)
Disinfection
N2
O2
CO2
Water Absorbtion (%)
Cytotoxic
LDPE HDPE PPPMP (TPX) PC PS PMMA PTFE PFA
80 120† 135 145 135 90 50 260 260
-50 -100 -20†† 0†† -135 -40 -60 -200 -260
Translucent Translucent Translucent Clear Clear Clear Clear Opaque Translucent
Flexible Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Rigid Flexible
0.92 0.95 0.9 0.83 1.2 1.05 1.2 2.2 2.15
Yes No Yes Yes Marginal No No Yes Yes
No No Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes
Yes Yes Tes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
No No No Yes No No No Yes Yes
Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Some Some Yes Yes
180 42 48 8,000 50 25 3 Unknown 291
500 185 240 32,000 300 400 12 308 881
2,700 580 800 115,000 1,075 1,500 68 Unknown 2,260
<0.01 <0.03 <0.2 0.01 0.35 0.05 0.35 <0.01 <0.02
No No No No No No No No No
Ster
ilisa
tion
Perm
eabi
lity*
Polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFEl Opaque rigid polymer
l Wide temperature range –200 to +260ºC
l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Unrivalled resistance to almost all chemicals l Extremely low friction coefficientl Typically used for bottles,
beakers and stirrers
Polyfluoroalkoxy, PFA
l Translucent flexible form of PTFE
l Wide temperature range -260 to +260ºCl Autoclavable at 121ºC l Excellent chemical resistancel Typically used for trace metal
analysis bottles
Polymethylmethacrylate, Acrylic (PMMA)
lTransparent rigid polymer
l Narrow temperature range -60 to +50ºCl Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistancel Very tough and high clarityl Typically used for radiation
shields
Polystyrene, PS
l Transparent rigid polymer
l Narrow temperature range -40 to +90ºCl Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistancel Brittle yet has excellent clarityl Typically used for container ware
Polyvinylchloride, PVC
l Rigid polymer
l Narrow temperature range -25 to +70ºCl Not autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistancel Rigid or flexible, coloured or clear l Typically used for trays
and troughs
Polypropylene, PP
lTranslucent rigid polymer
l Temperature range -20 to +135ºCl Autoclavable at 121ºCl Good to excellent chemical resistance l Resistant to fatigue making it toughl Typically used for beakers,
bottles and cylinders
Low Density Polyethylene, LDPEl Translucent flexible polymer l Narrow temperature range
of -50 to +80ºC
l Not autoclavable at 121ºCl Good to excellent chemical resistancel Robust and virtually unbreakable l Typically used for wash bottles
High Density Polyethylene, HDPE
l Translucent rigid polymer l Broad temperature range
of -100 to +120ºC
l Not autoclavable at 121ºCl Good to excellent chemical resistancel High tensile strength making
it very tough
l Typically used for bottles
Polymethylpentene, PMP (TPX)
l Transparent rigid polymer
l Broad temperature range -180 to +145ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºCl Good to excellent chemical resistance l Has a low density and a high clarityl Typically used for beakers and cylinders
Polycarbonate, PC
l Transparent rigid polymer
l Broad temperature range -135 to +135ºC l Autoclavable at 121ºC l Moderate chemical resistancel High impact strength l Typically used for safety shields
SciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406
This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures.
The A-Z of reusable plastic labwareSciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406
This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures.
The A-Z of reusable plastic labwareSciLabware Limited, Unit 4, Riverside 2, Campbell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 4RJ, wUK +44 (0) 1782 444406
This technical information is provided in good faith by SciLabware Limited for the safety of its customers. Please note that the advice given is for general laboratory applications and may not necessarily apply to all tests or procedures.
www.scilabware.com [email protected]
The A-Z of reusable plastic labware
The chemical resistance of plasticsThis chart gives general guidelines on the chemical resistance of plastics. There are many factors that influence chemical resistance, we therefore recommend that you test for your own application before selecting the appropriate product. If you have any doubts please contact us for assistance.
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