Chemical Compatibility And Plastic Suitability

Chemical Resistance of Plastics
Chemical Compatibility Guide for Membranes & GMF
Incompatible Hazardous Chemicals

Chemical Resistance of Plastics

Keys

R	Resistant	SW	Swelling occurs
A	Slowly attacked (not recommended for long term storage)	V	Vapour diffusion
L	Limited resistance	E	Environmental stress cracking
U	Unsuitable

Chemical	Polypropylene		Polycarbonate		Polyethylene
Chemical	Polypropylene		Polycarbonate		LD		HD
	20°C	60°C	20°C	60°C	20°C	60°C	20°C	60°C
Acetic acid solution <90%	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Acetic acid, glacial	R	U	U	U	A	U	R	L
Acetone	R	R	U	U	E	U	R	R
Ammonia	R	R	U	U	R	R	R	R
Aniline	R	R	U	U	U	U	R	R
Benzene	A	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Boric Acid	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Bromine	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Carbon tetrachloride	U	U	U	U	U	U	A	U
Chlorinated Solvents	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Chloroform	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Cresols	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Diethyl ether	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Diethylene glycol	R	R	R	U	R	R	R	E
Ethers	U	U	A	U	E	U	A	U
Ethyl acetate	A	A	U	U	A	U	A	U
Ethanol	R	R	R	R	R	U	R	R
Ethylene glycol	R	R	R	U	R	R	E	E
Formaldehyde solution 40%	R	R	R	R	R	E	R	R
Formic acid	R	R	R	R	R	E	R	R
Hydrochloric acid cone.	E	E	L	U	R	R	SW	SW
Hydrofluoric acid 1-60%	E	E	U	U	R	R	R	L
Hydrofluoric acid cone.	E	E	L	u	R	U	R	L
Hydrogen peroxide 30-90%	R	R	R	R	R	U	R	A
Magnesium hydroxide	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Maleic acid	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Mineral oil	R	R	R	R	A	U	R	E
Nitric acid <25%	R	R	R	U	R	R	R	R
Nitric acid 25- 70%	R	E	U	U	A	U	L	U
Nitric acid >70	E	U	U	u	U	U	U	U
Oxalic acid	R	A	R	R	R	R	R	R
Paraffin	R	A	R	R	A	U	R	R
Petroleum ether	A	U	R	R	U	U	U	U
Phosphoricacid<30%	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Phosphoric acid 30-85%	R	R	R	R	R	A	R	R
Phosphoric acid >85%	R	R	R	R	A	U	R	A
Potassium hydroxide	R	R	U	U	R	R	R	R
Salicylic acid	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Sodium hydroxide solution	R	R	U	U	R	R	U	U
Sulphuric acid <60%	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Sulphuric acid 60-70%	R	U	R	R	R	A	R	A
Sulphuric acid>70%	E	U	U	U	A	U	A	L
Silicone oil	R	R	R	R	A	U	E	E
Stearic acid	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
"bluene	U	U	U	U	U	U	U	U
Trichloroethylene	U	U	U	U	U	U	V	U
Water	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Chemical Compatibility Guide for Membranes & GMF

Key To Tables		Glossary
	Compatible	PTFE	: Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene
	Limited Compatibility	PVDF	: Polyvinylidene Fluoride
	Not Compatible	PES	: Poly Ether Sulphone
	No Data Available	PP	: Poly Propylene
		CA	: Cellulose Acetate
		RC	: Regenerated Cellulose
		CN	: Cellulose Nitrate
		GMF	: Glass Microfibre Filter

ACIDS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Acetic, Glacial
Acetic, 25%
Hydrochloric, Concentrated
Hydrochloric, 25%
Sulphuric, Concentrated
Sulphuric, 25%
Nitric, Concentrated
Nitric, 25%
Phosphoric, 25%
Formic, 25%
Trichloroacetic, 25%

ALKALIES
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Ammonium Hydroxide, 25%
Sodium Hydroxide, 25%

ALCOHOLS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Methanol, 98%
Ethanol, 98%
Ethanol, 70%
Isopropanol
n-Propanol
Amyl Alcohol, Butanol
Benzyl Alcohol
Ethylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol
Glycerol

HYDROCARBONS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
HYDROCARBONS
Hexane, Xylene
Toluene, Benzene
Kerosene, Gasoline
Tetralin, Decalin

HALOGENATED HYDROCARBONS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Methylene Chloride
Chloroform
Trichloroethylene
Monochlorobenzene
Freon
Carbon Tetrachloride

KETONES
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Acetone
Cyclohexanone
Methyl Ethyl Ketone
Isopropylacetone
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone

ESTERS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Ethyl & Methyl Acetate
Amyl & Butyl Acetate
Propyl Acetate
Propylene Glycol Acetate
2-Ethoxyethyl Acetate
Methyl Cellosolve Acetate
Benzyl Benzoate
Isopropyl Myristate
Tricresyl Phosphate

OXIDES - ETHERS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Ethyl Ether
Dioxane
Tetrahydrofuran
Triethanolamine
Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
Isopropyl Ether

SOLVENTS WITH NITROGEN
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Dimethyl Formamide
Diethylacetamide
Triethanolamine
Aniline
Pyridine
Acetonitrile

MISCELLANEOUS
	Nylon	PTFE	PVDF	PES	CA	RC	CN	PP	GMF
Phenol, Aqueous, 10%
Formaldehyde Solution, 30%
Hydrogen Peroxide, 30%
Silicone Oil & Mineral Oil

Incompatible Hazardous Chemicals

Chemicals in the left hand column should be stored under controlled conditions and these chemicals should not come in contact with the right hand column otherwise, a reaction will be violent and lead to an accident.

Acetic acid	Chromic acid, nitric acid, peroxides and permanganates
Acetic anhydride	Hydroxyl-containing compounds, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid
Acetone	Concentrated nitric and sulphuric acid mixtures, hydrogen peroxide
Acetylene	Chlorine, bromide, copper, silver, fluorine and mercury
Alkali and alkaline earth metals such as sodium, potassium, lithium, magnesium, calcium	Carbon dioxide, carbon tetrachloride and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. (Also prohibit water, foam and dry chemicals onfires involving these metals -dry sand should be available)
Aluminium powder	Halogenated or oxygenated solvents
Ammonia, anhydrous	Mercury, chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine and hydrogen fluoride
Ammonium nitrate	Acids, metal powders, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrates, sulphur, finely divided organics or combustibles
Aniline	Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide
Bromine	Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane and other petroleum gases, sodium carbide, turpentine, benzene and finely divided metals
Calcium oxide	Water
Carbon, activated	Calcium hypochlorite
Chlorates	Ammonium salts, acids, metal powders, phosphorus, sulphur, finely divided orqanics or combustibles
Chromic acid and chromium trioxide	Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, phosphorus, sulphur, finelydivided organics or combustibles
Chlorine	Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, other petroleum gases, hydrogen, sodium carbide, turpentine, benzene and finely divided metals
Chlorine dioxide	Ammonia, methane, phosphine and hydrogen sulphide
Copper	Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
Fluorine	Isolate from everything
Hydrazine	Hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, any other oxidant and heavy metal salts
Hydrocarbons (benzene, butane, propane, gasoline, turpentine etc)	Fluorine,chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, cone. Nitric acid, peroxides
Hydrogen cyanide	Nitric acid, alkalis
Hydrogen fluoride	Ammonia, aqueous or anhydrous
Hydrogen peroxide	Copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their salts, any flammable liquid, combustible materials, aniline, nitromethane
Hydrogen sulphide	Fuming nitric acid, oxidising gases
Iodine	Acetylene, ammonia (anhydrous or aqueous)
Mercury	Acetylene, fulminic acid*, ammonia
Nitric acid (cone.)	Acetic acid, acetone, alcohol, aniline, chromic acid,hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulphide, flammable liquids, flammable gases, nitratable substances, fats, grease
Nitromethane, lower nitroalkanes	Inorganic bases, amines, halogens, 13X molecular sieve
Oxalic acid	Silver, mercury, urea
Oxygen	Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, solids or gases
Perchloric acid	Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, grease, oils, dehydrating agents
Peroxides, organic	Acids (organic or mineral), avoid friction, store cold
Phosphinates	Any oxidant
Phosphorus (white)	Air, oxygen
Potassium chlorate	Acids (see also chlorates)
Potassium perchlorate	Acids (see also perchloric acid)
Potassium permanganate	Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulphuric acid
Silver	Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, fulminic acid*, ammonium compounds
Sodium	See alkali metals (above)
Sodium nitrate	Ammonium nitrate and other ammonium salts
Sodium peroxide	Any oxidizable substance, such as ethanol, methanol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, furfural
Sulfuric Sulphuric acid	Chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates
Thiocyanates	Metal nitrates, nitrites, oxidants
Trifluoromethane sulfonic acid	Perchlorate salts

Chemical Compatibility & Plastic Suitability

Chemical Resistance of Plastics

Keys

Chemical Compatibility Guide for Membranes & GMF

Incompatible Hazardous Chemicals