Plastic Properties Table

Created by Karen Darley, Modified on Tue, 02 Jul 2019 at 08:07 PM by Luen Warneke

Chemical Resistance of Plastics

With regard to chemical stability, plastics are classified as follows:

+
Very good chemical resistance
Within 30 days, continuous exposure to media causes no damage to the plastic. The plastic may remain resistant for years.
0
Good to limited chemical
resistance
Within 7‐30 days, continuous exposure to media causes minor damage (e.g. swelling, softening, loss of mechanical strength, discolouration), some of which is reversible.

Poor chemical resistance
Not suitable for continuous exposure to media. Immediate damage may occur (e.g. loss of mechanical strength, deformation, discolouration, cracking, liquefaction).

Chemical resistance of plastics to various substance classes

Classes of substances at 20°CPFAPTFEFEPETFEPMPPPPE‐HDPE‐LDPCPOMPASANPMMAPSPVCMFNRSIEPDMFKM
Alcohols, aliphatics++++++++++0+++++++
Ethers++++000++
Aldehydes++++0++00000+00++
Esters++++0000+0+000
Hydrocarbons, aliphatic++++0++00+0+++0
Hydrocarbons, aromatic++++0+0+0+0
Hydrocarbons, halogenated++++000+0+0
Ketones+++00000+++0
Alkalis+++++++++++++++0+0
Acids, strong or concentrated++++++++0++0
Acids, weak or diluted++++++++000+000++
Oxidising acids, oxidising agents+++00

The carefully prepared recommendations listed here are based on technical literature and made available by the manufacturers of raw materials, to provide information and advice. However, nothing can replace suitability tests conducted by the end user under the actual conditions of use.

 

Physical properties of plastics

PlasticsMax. temperature for use
°C
Brittleness temperature
°C
Microwaveability*Density
g/cm3
PFAPerfluoroalkoxy alkanes
260‐200yes2,17
PTFEPolytetrafluoroethylene
260‐200yes2,17
FEPFluorinated ethylene propylene
205‐100yes2,15
ETFEEthylene tetrafluoroethylene
150‐100yes1,70
PMPPolymethylpentene
1500yes0,83
PPPolypropylene
1250yes0,90
HDPEHigh-density polyethylene  
105‐50yes0,95
LDPELow-density polyethylene
80‐50yes0,92
PETPolyethylene terephthalate
 65 -40Marginal
1.38
PCPolycarbonates
125‐130yes1,20
POMPolyoxymethylene  
130‐40no1,42
PAPolyamide  
9001,13
SANStyrene-acrylonitrile resin
70‐40no1,03
PMMAPoly(methyl methacrylate)
65 ‐ 95‐50no1,18
PSPolystyrene
70‐20no1,05
PVCPolyvinyl chloride  
80‐20no1,35
MFMelamine resin  
120‐80yes**1,50
NRNatural rubber
80‐40no1,20
SISilicon polymer
180‐60no1,10
EPDMEthylene propylene rubber
130‐40
FKMFluorocarbon (Viton)
220‐30

 

Chemical stability of plastics

MediumPFA/FEPPTFEETFEPMPPPHDPELDPEPCPOMPASANPMMAPSPVCMFNRSIEPDMFKM
20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C50°C20°C20°C20°C20°C20°C
Acetaldehyde+++++00++0+0++0  0
Acetic acid (glacial acetic acid), 100%+++++++0+0+++0      0000
Acetic acid, 50%+++++++++++++++00+000+0+
Acetic anhydride+++++++0000000     000
Acetone+++++0+++++++0+++ +0+
Acetonitrile++++++0+0+0+0+ +  
Acetophenone++++++00000+ + ++
Acetyl chloride (acetic acid chloride)++++++  + + +    +
Acetylacetone+++++++ + + + +    +
Acrylic acid (2‐propenic acid)+++++++ + + +    
Acrylonitrile++++++0+++++  
Adipic acid+++++++++++++++++++ +++++++0 ++++
Allyl alcohol (2‐propan‐1‐ol)+++++++0++++++00++0 0000 0++
Aluminium chloride+++++++++++++++00+++++++0+00++
Aluminium hydroxide+++++++0++++++0++++000000++ ++++
Amino acids++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++
Ammonium chloride++++++++++++++00+++ ++00+++0 ++++
Ammonium fluoride++++++++++++++00+++ ++00+++0 ++0
Ammonium hydroxide, 30% (ammonia)++++++++++++++000 +0++0+0++0+
Ammonium sulphate  ++  +++++++++++++ ++++++++ 00+
n‐Amyl acetate (pentyl acetate)+++++++00+00++0 ++ 00
Amyl alcohol (pentanol)+++++++++++++++++++ ++  0000 000
Amyl chloride (chloropentane)+++++++++  +
Aniline+++++0+0+++++00000 
Aqua regia++++++
Barium chloride+++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ ++++
Benzaldehyde+0+++0++++++++0++0  0
Benzene++++++00+0++0+0+ +0
Benzoyl chloride  ++++00+0++0+0 +
Benzyl alcohol++++++000000++00 00+
Benzyl chloride  ++++          + +        +
Benzylamine++++++0 0 0 0+    00+
Boric acid, 10%+++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ ++++
Bromine++++++ 0
Bromobenzene++++0  +  +
Bromoform++++++   
Bromonaphthalene++++++                       
Butanediol++++++++++++++  +++      0+
1‐Butanol (butyl alcohol)+++++++0++++++00+++0+00000 +00+
n‐Butyl acetate (acetic acid n‐butyl ester)+++++++000++00+0+  0
Butyl methyl ether+++++0++000++   
Butylamine  ++++          ++       0
Butyric acid (butanoic acid)++++++  00  00     0
Calcium carbonate++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++
Calcium chloride++++++++++++++++++++++++0 ++++
Calcium hydroxide+++++++++++++++++ +0+++0++ +0++
Calcium hypochlorite+++++++0++++++0+++++00++0 0++
Carbon disulphide+++++0++0  +
Carbon tetrachloride++++++00000++
Chloroacetaldehyde, 45%  ++++                   
Chloroacetic acid (monochloroacetic acid)+++++++0+0++++000+0 00
Chloroacetone  ++++                 0+
Chlorobenzene+++++0   0
Chlorobutane++++++0000       0
Chloroform+0+++00000+0
Chloronaphthalene  ++++                     +
Chlorosulphonic acid++++0                   
Chromic acid, 10%+++++++++++++++0000+0 0+
Chromic acid, 50%++++++0000+0+0000+ +
Chromic‐sulphuric acid++++++00000+0 +
Copper sulphate+++++++++++++++++++ +0+++++0 0+++
Cresol+++++0000       +
Cumene (isopropylbenzene)++++++0+00+   +
Cyclohexane+++++0000+++     ++
Cyclohexanone++++++0000 +      
Cyclopentane++++++000         +
Decane++++++0 0 0  0 +         0  0+
1‐Decanol+++++++ + +   0 +   0   0 +  00++
Di(ethylene glycol)++++++++++++++00+00 ++0 +0++
Dibenzyl ether++++++0 + +     +      0
Dibromoethane+ ++0                            
Dibutyl phthalate+++++++0+000++   000
Dichloroacetic acid+++++0++00000      00 
Dichlorobenzene+++++0000+  +
Dichloroethane++++++0000  0          0
Dichloromethane (methylene chloride)++++000000  0     0
Diesel oil (heating oil)++++++0+0+00++++00 +
Diethanolamine  ++    0 0            0 
Diethyl ether++++++00++++ 
Diethylamine+++++0000          00 000
1,2 Diethylbenzene+++++000         +
Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO)++++++++++++++      +  
Dimethylaniline++++++               000
Dimethylformamide (DMF)+++++++++++++++++ 0 000
1,4‐Dioxane+++++000+0+++00000+  0
Diphenyl ether  ++            0 0    0
1,2 Ethanediol (ethylene glycol, glycol)++++++++++++++++++00+++++++++++0
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)+++++++0+++++++0+++ 00+0+00+0
Ethanolamine++++++  +                    + 
Ethyl acetate (acetic acid ethyl ester)++++++0+0++++  +     +0
Ethyl methyl ketone (MEK)++++00+000+     
Ethylbenzene++++00     0
Ethylene oxide++++++0000000++0 0 
Fluoroacetic acid  +                  
Formaldehyde, 40%+++++++++++++++0+++0++0 00+0
Formamide++++++++++++++  +          + 00
Formic acid, 98‐100%+++++++0+++++++000+0+00
Gasoline (petroleum spirits)++++++0000++00+++ + 0++
Glycerine++++++++++++++++00+++++++++++0++0
Glycolic acid, 70%++++++++++++++             +++0
Heating oil (Diesel oil)++++++0+0+00+++ 00 +
Heptane++++++0000000+0  +   0 +
Hexane++++++0+0+00+++ ++000 +
Hexanoic acid  ++                  +          
Hexanol++++++++++++++        +      00+
Hydrochloric acid, 10%++++++++++++++00+++ 00++
Hydrochloric acid, 20%++++++++++++++0000++0 0++
Hydrochloric acid, 37%++++++++++++++000000+0
Hydrofluoric acid, 40%+++++++++++++++0++000
Hydrofluoric acid, 70%+++0+++0+0+0+
Hydrogen bromide++++++++++++++++    0   00+
Hydrogen peroxide, 35%++++++++++++++++++++++0000 
Hydroiodic acid++++++++++++++                 ++
Isoamyl alcohol (3‐methyl‐1‐butanol)++++++++++++++  ++           0000
Isobutanol (isobutyl alcohol)++++++++++++++++++  0000+0 ++++
Isooctane++++++        0   + 0  0   +
Isopropanol (2‐propanol)+++++++++++++++++++ +000+0 +0++
Isopropyl ether+++++0       
Lactic acid (2‐hydroxypropionic acid)+++++++++++++++++0++0++00 000+
Lugol's solution (iodine/potassium iodide solution)+++++++0++000  00 +++
Mercury+++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ ++++
Mercury chloride++++++++++++++++00+++++0++++
Methanol+++++++++++++0+0++0 00+000++
Methoxybenzene++++++        0      
Methyl butyl ether+++++0+0++00    
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)++++00+000   0
Methyl formate (formic acid methyl ester)++++++        +      00 
Methyl propyl ketone++++++00+0+++0++   0
Methylene chloride (dichloromethane)++++++0000 0
Mineral oil (motor oil)+++++++++++++0+ ++  + +++ ++ 0+
Monochloroacetic acid+++++++0+0++++000+0  0
Nitric acid, 10%+++++++++++++++0+0+0+000
Nitric acid, 30%++++++00000+000000
Nitric acid, 70%++++++
Nitrobenzene++++++00 
Oleic acid++++++            +    0
Oxalic acid++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 00++
Ozone++++++++00000+000+0 +++
n‐Pentane++++++            +          +
Peracetic acid++++++                      
Perchloric acid+0++++0+++0 0+
Perchloroethylene+++++++0000 0
Petroleum++++++0000000+++   + + 0+
Petroleum ether++++++      0   +++   + 0 +
Phenol++++++00+++++0 0
Phenylethanol++++++  0 0       0              
Phenylhydrazine++++++  0 0                  00
Phosphoric acid, 85%++++++++++++++++++++0+00+
Piperidine++++++  + +                  
Potassium chloride++++++++++++++++++++00++00+0 ++++
Potassium dichromate  ++                       00+0
Potassium hydroxide+++++++++++++++++ 00++00000+
Potassium permanganate++++++++++++++++00+0++++++ ++
Propanol++++++++++++++0 ++++++0 0 ++ +0++
Propionic acid+++++0+0+0+0000    00 0+
Propylene glycol (propanediol)+++++++++++++++0++00++0 ++++
Pyridine++++‐++000+0+0+0+ 0 
Salicylaldehyde+++++++++++++00           
Salicylic acid++++++++++++++  + ++  ++0 ++++
Silver acetate++++++++++++++++00  00000000 ++++
Silver nitrate++++++++++++++++00+ ++++0000 ++++
Sodium acetate+++++++++++++++++0+ ++++00 +0+
Sodium chloride+++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ ++++
Sodium dichromate++++++++++++++++++++0+0+0++ +0++
Sodium fluoride+++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ 00++
Sodium hydroxide+++++++++++++++++0++  ++++00+0
Sulphuric acid, 60%++++++++++++++00+00 +
Sulphuric acid, 98%++++++++00 +
Tartaric acid++++++++++++++++++00++00++++++0+
Tetrachloroethylene+ ++0                      0
Tetrahydrofuran (THF)00+++000000+ +
Tetramethylammonium hydroxide++++++                     +
Toluene++++++00000++++++  0
Tri(ethylene glycol)+++++++++++++++0+0  ++00++0 0+++
Tri(propylene glycol)+++++++++++++++0+0  ++00++0 ++  
Trichloroacetic acid+++++0++00000      00 0 0
Trichlorobenzene+++++000             
Trichloroethane++++++000  +
Trichloroethylene++++++00  0
Trichlorotrifluoroethane++++0            0        0 
Triethanolamine++++                     00
Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)++0                      
Trifluoroethane+0++                     +
Turpentine++++++0000+++ 00++++ +
Urea+++++++++++++++++ ++++++0+++++
Xylene++++++000+++  0
Zinc chloride, 10%+++++++++++++++++0+++++0 ++++
Zinc sulphate, 10%++++++++++++++++0++00+++0 0+++

* Mind the chemical and temperature suitability!
** Caution necessary when used in a microwave oven: Heating can release amounts of melamine and formaldehyde that can be harmful to health!

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