Physical Properties of Plastics and their Resistance to Chemicals
chemical resistance tables below 



Physical Properties


    

        
      

	
  • 
	ABS
	 Acronitrile butadene styrene
	
  • 
	HDPE
	 High density polyethylene  
	
  • 
	LDPE
	 Low density polyethylene
      
    		• 
	
  • 
	PC
	 Polycarbonate  
	
  • 
	PP
	 Polypropylene 
	
  • 
	 PS
	Polystyrene  
      
    		• 
	
  • 
	PTFE
	 Polytetrafluoroethylene
	
  • 
	PVC
	 Polyvinyl chloride 
	
  • 
	TPX
	 Polymethylpentene
    		• 
      
     

    
    
    
    
        
    
        Max.temp (°C)    		
        Transparency
        *
    
            Autoclavable     		
        Sterilization
        (a)
    
            
    
                Gas
                Dry
                Heat
                Chem.
            
    
        
    
        
    		
        Specific
    
        Gravity    		
        Flexibility
        Brittleness temp. (°C)
        Permeability(b)
    
            
    
                N2
                O2
                CO2
            
    
        
    
        
    		
        Tensile strength
    
        ( Psi)    		
        Absorption %
    
    
    
    
        HDPE 120
        Transluc.
        With Caution**
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        0.95
        Rigid
        -100
        3
        10
        45
        4000
        0.01
    
    
    
    
        LDPE 80
        Transluc.
        No
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        0.92
        Excel.
        -100
        20
        20
        280
        2000
        0.01
    
    
    
    
        PP 135
        Transluc.
        Yes
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        0.90
        Rigid
        0
        4
        25
        90
        5000
        0.02
    
    
    
    
        TPX 175
        Clear
        Yes
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        0.83
        Rigid
        -
        7
        25
        -
        4000
        0.01
    
    
    
    
        PC 135
        Clear
        Yes***
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        1.20
        Rigid
        -135
        3
        20
        85
        8000
        0.35
    
    
    
    
        PTFE 250
        Opaque
        Yes
        Yes
        Yes
        Yes
        1.70
        Mod.
        -100
        -
        -
        -
        6500
        0.10
    
    
    
    
        PVC 70
        Clear
        No
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        1.34
        Rigid
        -30
        0.5
        1
        10
        6500
        0.06
    
    
    
    
        ABS 80
        Opaque
        No
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        1.05
        Rigid
        -20
        2
        6
        35
        7000
        0.30
    
    
    
    
        PS 70
        Clear
        No
        Yes
        No
        Yes
        1.04
        Rigid
        -20
         
        25
         
        6000
        0.05
    
    
    
    
        * Autoclaving : clean & rinse with distilled water
        before autoclaving. Certain chemicals which have no
        appreciable effect 
    
        on resins at room temperatures, may cause deterioration
        at autoclaving temperatures unless removed with distilled
        water beforehand.
    
            * * Can be autoclaved at 120°C for 20
        minutes - ***
        Autoclaving reduces mechanical strength.
    
        Do not use PC vessels for vacuum applications if they
        have been autoclaved.
    
            (a) GAS: Ethylene oxide Dry HEAT at 160°C CHEMICAL: Benzalkonium chloride, formaline,
        ethanol etc.
    
            (b) Permeability unit = (cc x mm) /
        (sec x cm2 x cmHg) x 10-10    		
    
    

    

    


     
    

    
  
    
	
    
      
      
       
        E
	   =
         excellent resistance: no etching 
    
	  B
	   =Good res. little etching after 30
        days exposure to reagent.
    
           		
	 
	  S			
	  = Fair resistance, etching after 7
                                days exposure to reagent 
    
	  N
        =  not recommended
    
	     		
      
    
      
    
       
	   Remarks: 
	   The first letter relates to the
	        temperature of 20°C the second to 50°C 
      	  or to the boiling temperature when this is below 50°C 
        	The data in this chart was obtained from the various
        	producers of the raw materials. 
        	No guarantee of accuracy is implied by Proscitech.
        	For more accurate verification, tests must be made under
        	actual laboratory conditions.
         
       
      
    
     
    

     
    
     
    
      
     
       
		KEYS       
      
    
      
     
	 
        
  • 
	  HDPE
         High density polyethylene 

        
  • 
	  LDPE
	   Low density polyethylene

        
  • 
	  PC
	   Polycarbonate 
	 
    		• 
	 
        
  • 
	  PP
	   Polypropylene 

        
  • 
	   PTFE
	   Polytetrafluoroethylene 

        
  • 
	  TPX
	   Polymethylpentene
	
    • 
    
    


    

    Chemical Resistance I
    

    


    
    
    
        
	
    

  • 
HDPE
 High density polyethylene

  • 
LDPE
 Low density polyethylene
 
    		• 

  • 
PC
 Polycarbonate

  • 
PP
 Polypropylene
 
    		• 

  • 
PTFE
Polytetrafluoroethylene - 

  • 
TPX
 Polymethylpentene
 
    • 
    		
    
    
    
    
        Reagent (20°C)
        HDPE
        PC
        PP
        LDPE
        PTFE
        TPX
    
    
    
    
        Inorganic acids
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Organic acids
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Oxidizing agents conc.
        B
        N
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Alcohols
        B
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Aldehydes
        B
        S
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Amines
        B
        N
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Bases
        E
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Ketones
        B
        N
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Ethers
        B
        S
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Esters
        E
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Glycols
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Aliphatic hydrocarbons
        B
        S
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Aromatic hydrocarbons
        B
        N
        B
        B
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Halogenated hydrocarbons
        B
        N
        B
        B
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Mineral oils
        E
        E
        S
        S
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Vegetable oils
        B
        B
        B
        B
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Lubricating oils
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
    
    

    

    


    

    Chemical Resistance II
    


    

    
    
    
        Reagent
        HDPE
        PC
        PP
        LDPE
        PTFE
        TPX
    
    
    
    
         
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
    
    
    
    
        Actaldehyde
        B
        S
        S
        N
        B
        N
        B
        N
        E
        E
        B
        N
    
    
    
    
        Acetone
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Acetic acid
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Aluminum
        hydroxide
        E
        E
        S
        N
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Ammonium
        chlodide
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Ammonium
        hydroxide 5%
        E
        E
        S
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Ammonium
        hydroxide 28%
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Amyl
        chloride 
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Aniline
        E
        B
        S
        N
        B
        S
        E
        B
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Banzaldehyde
        E
        E
        S
        N
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Benzene
        B
        B
        N
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Boric acid
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Bromine
        S
        N
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Bromoform
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Butadiene
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Butyl
        acetate
        E
        B
        N
        N
        B
        S
        B
        S
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Butyl
        Alcohol
        E
        E
        B
        S
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Butyric
        acid
        S
        N
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Calcium
        hydroxide
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Calcium
        hypochloride
        E
        E
        S
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Carbon
        disulphide
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Carbon
        tetrachloride
        B
        S
        N
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Reagent
        HDPE
        PC
        PP
        LDPE
        PTFE
        TPX
    
    
    
    
         
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
    
    
    
    
        Cellosolve
        E
        E
        S
        N
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Chlorine
        in air
        E
        S
        E
        B
        B
        N
        B
        N
        E
        E
        B
        N
    
    
    
    
        Chlorine
        (moist)
        B
        S
        B
        S
        B
        N
        B
        N
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Chloroform
        B
        S
        N
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Citric
        add.
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Cresol
        S
        N
        N
        N
        B
        S
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Cyclohexane
        E
        B
        E
        B
        S
        S
        B
        S
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        p-dichlorobenzene
        B
        S
        N
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Diethylene
        glycol
        E
        E
        B
        S
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Diethylene
        formamide
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Dioxane
        B
        B
        B
        S
        B
        S
        B
        S
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Ethyl
        acetate
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Ethyl
        alcohol
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Ethyl
        chloride
        S
        S
        N
        N
        S
        N
        S
        N
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Ethylene
        chloride
        B
        S
        N
        N
        S
        N
        B
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Ethylene
        oxide
        S
        S
        S
        N
        S
        S
        B
        S
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Ethyl
        ether
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        S
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Formaldehyde
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Formic
        acid
        E
        E
        E
        S
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Gasoline/Petrol
        B
        B
        S
        S
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Hexane
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Hydrochloric
        acid 35%
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Hydrofluoric
        acid
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Reagent
        HDPE
        PC
        PP
        LDPE
        PTFE
        TPX
    
    
    
    
         
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
    
    
    
    
        Hydrogen
        peroxide
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Kerosene
        B
        B
        B
        S
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Lactic
        acid
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Methyl
        alcohol
        E
        E
        B
        S
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Methyl
        ethyl ketone
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        S
    
    
    
    
        Methyl
        isobutyl ketone
        E
        B
        N
        N
        B
        S
        B
        S
        E
        E
        S
        S
    
    
    
    
        Methylene
        chloride
        B
        S
        N
        N
        S
        N
        S
        N
        E
        E
        S
        N
    
    
    
    
        Mineral
        oil
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        E
        B
        N
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Nitric
        acid 1-10%
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Nitric
        acid 50%
        B
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        B
        B
        E
        E
        B
        N
    
    
    
    
        Nitric
        acid 65%
        B
        N
        S
        N
        S
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        B
        N
    
    
    
    
        Nitrobenzene
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Perchloric
        acid
        B
        N
        N
        N
        B
        N
        B
        N
        B
        S
        B
        N
    
    
    
    
        Petroleum
        ether
        S
        N
        S
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Reagent
        HDPE
        PC
        PP
        LDPE
        PTFE
        TPX
    
    
    
    
         
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
        20°C
        50°C
    
    
    
    
        Phenol
        B
        S
        E
        N
        B
        N
        B
        N
        E
        E
        S
        B
    
    
    
    
        Phosphoric
        acid 85%
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Potassium
        bichromate
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Potassium
        hydroxide conc.
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Potassium
        permanganate
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Propane
        S
        N
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Propylene
        glycol
        S
        N
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Silver
        nitrate
        E
        E
        B
        S
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Sodium
        hydroxide conc.
        E
        B
        S
        S
        E
        B
        B
        S
        E
        E
        B
        S
    
    
    
    
        Sodium
        hypochloride 
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Sulfuric
        acid 20%
        E
        E
        B
        S
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Sulfuric
        acid 98%
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
        E
        B
    
    
    
    
        Tetrahydrofuran
        E
        E
        N
        N
        E
        E
        E
        B
        E
        E
        E
        E
    
    
    
    
        Thionil
        chloride
        B
        S
        N
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        S
        S
    
    
    
    
        Toluene
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Trichloroacetic
        acid
        B
        B
        S
        N
        B
        S
        S
        N
        E
        E
        S
        S
    
    
    
    
        sim-trichloroethane
        S
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        N
        E
        E
        N
        N
    
    
    
    
        Trichloroethylene
        S
        N
        N